


The Royal's Omega

by Avrina



Series: Between Skin and Fur [1]
Category: No Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Aggression, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Werewolves Are Known, Blood, Blood Drinking, Developing Friendships, F/M, Family, Father Figures, First Kiss, Forehead Kisses, Foster Siblings, Friendship, Full Shift Werewolves, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Sex, Jealousy, Kissing, Male Friendship, Mates, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Pack Cuddles, Pack Family, Platonic Cuddling, Protective Siblings, Protectiveness, Servants, Trust, Werewolf Courting, Werewolf Culture, Werewolf Healing, Werewolf Mates, Werewolf Politics, Werewolves, Wolf Pack, forced shifting, shifting, werewolf/vampire hybrid
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:41:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 45,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23556970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avrina/pseuds/Avrina
Summary: Royals rule, absolute Omegas serve.Julie was born to serve the heir of her pack with body and soul, but when Alex finally appears, he is more wolf than man.Alex, whose pack has always shunned humans, suddenly has to cope with the human world. But not only his life suddenly turns upside down: absolute Omegas have no mate - and yet for Alex the mate ritual begins every time he drinks Julie's blood...
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Series: Between Skin and Fur [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1983710
Comments: 16
Kudos: 33





	1. Run, boy, run

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CressidaGrey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CressidaGrey/gifts).



The old man's struggling to breathe was the only sound besides the rustling of the wind in the trees; all the small animals of the forest - the larger ones in any case - had fled to their hiding places in the sight of a large pack of wolves.  
Alex's ears twitched.  
The dying man, wrapped in dirty blankets, was their leader, the strongest Alpha of the pack, and no one would have followed the second Alpha if he had taken over the reign at such a time. The second Alpha, also in human form, knelt beside his leader.  
"Vincent...we're all with you," he said as the old man opened his eyes. Vincent made a approving sound, then grabbed the younger man by the wrist.  
"Rick, listen to me... Alex-" he was interrupted by a coughing fit and Alex ducked deeper into the shadows. He should have been there, next to his Alpha, his grandfather, but Rick had sent him away.  
"Alex must lead the pack," Vincent finally said. "He's a Royal, it's his destiny."  
"He's not strong enough," Rick said, and Alex laid back his ears at his tone. According to the law, Rick was his father, but biologically speaking not- anyone could smell that.  
"He is, have faith," Vincent said confidently. Rick took a deep breath to calm himself down.  
"Alex, come here."  
Alex rose, shook leaves from his fur and trotted forward obediently. As a royal, he stood - in theory - above every alpha from birth, no matter how weak he was, but no one had ever taught him how to be a royal, because he was the only one in the pack. Vincent had relied too much on Alex's instincts and on Rick, but Alex wasn't going to be a good alpha, let alone a real leader.  
As he moved, he shifted and out of respect he kept wolf ears and wolf tail.  
"Alex..." Vincent murmured weakly.  
"Grandfather," Alex whispered coarsely - he hadn't spoken as a human being for days - and knelt down by the improvised bed.  
"You are strong. Trust yourself, you hear? You were born for this...", Vincent said, breathing heavily.  
Alex nodded. He knew that Rick would kill him once Vincent was dead.  
"Make the pack strong again..."  
Alex nodded again and his ears lay flat on his head when there was no next breath, no next blink. His tail twitched. Rick next to him emitted a pungent scent, bitterness, sadness, rejection, but he allowed Alex to reach out and carefully close Vincent's eyes. Victor, Alex's older half-brother and indeed Rick's son, should have done that, but Victor was crouching nearby as a wolf, his snout hidden under a paw. He was the first to howl a cry of sadness into the night. He was an Alpha, but he would never be strong enough to lead the pack.  
Alex suppressed a similar sound; it would have sounded ridiculous as a human. Instead he retreated, head and shoulders lowered in addition to drooping ears and tail. The pack howled and wailed, sliding closer on its bellies, while Alex backed away, shifted and whimpered as if he were still a pup. He gritted his teeth and looked around, but unfortunately his bundle of human belongings was just on the other side of the clearing. He didn't have much time left, at most until dawn when the pack finished its mourning song, so he slipped into the undergrowth and ran off.

~

Julie licked her lips and looked out into the garden. It was raining, but something was in the air, although she couldn't tell if it was intuition or if she actually smelled something, after all she was not a _real_ werewolf.  
"You're just as nervous as Barry, it's scary."  
She flinched when Emmett suddenly appeared behind her. "Am I?" she asked, and her foster brother nodded. He put an arm around her shoulders and stared with her into the rain that darkened the garden, though it was only early afternoon.  
"Are you afraid?" Emmett asked, and she shrugged half-heartedly.  
"Afraid of what?"  
"That this time he's really coming, just like Barry says."  
"He will come. Barry is not immortal."  
"Yeah, but we've been waiting for this for how long now? Eight years?"  
Julie shrugged slightly again but nodded at the same time. Back then, Barry had felt his heir out there somewhere for the first time, but he hadn't come. By now, Barry was just over four hundred years old, and he wouldn't have many years left; he needed his heir to prepare him for his job, and for the pack and the city to get to know him. And just as this boy- well, by now a young man- had been born to one day rule Lightfall and lead the pack, so Julie as an absolute Omega had been born to serve him. Emmett too, but he was a werewolf, a strong Beta from a line whose biology signaled no rivalry for a Royal.  
Into the thoughts of the two unequal siblings stepped Barry, Bartholomeus, the mayor of Lightfall and Royal of the Lightfall pack. To them, he was as much lord and master as a loving grandfather, although his royal nature made him look like he was in his mid-forties at most. He glanced at them briefly and nodded slightly, a faint smile playing around his lips.  
"Here he comes."  
"Are you sure?" Emmett asked and pulled Julie to him; she knew he was afraid Barry's designated successor would treat her badly.  
"Yeah. It feels different than before. He's coming." Barry nodded again, joined them at the big window and looked out as well.  
Lightning flashed across the dark sky and Julie snuggled into Emmett's warm embrace.  
"Here he comes," Barry muttered, suddenly worried, as if the storm was a bad omen.

~

Alex ran.  
He didn't know for how long already, because he was running south and the farther he got, the more it felt like summer was beginning, although there had been snow up in the north.  
The pack followed him, played with him, and his sudden change of coat, which left traces, made it easy for them to follow him. He was hungry, he was tired and exhausted, but he had no time to hunt or sleep. There were always two or three of them who would pounce on him every few days, wounding him and weakening him even further. He had sneaked into a chicken farm and even stole human food twice, but he wouldn't last any longer; he hadn't expected the pack- that Rick- would be so stubborn.

And here they came again. He could hear them behind him, for they made no effort to be quiet. He ran off again, not paying attention to stealth or tracks, because they would find him anyway, but he obviously didn't pay enough attention to his surroundings either, because suddenly the thicket was over, broken by buzzing rails.  
A freight train came from the left, which was incredibly loud now that Alex was back to his senses. He ran parallel to the rails, was passed by the train and then a desperate idea formed in him. Some of the wagons carried barrels that were attached in a way that allowed them to swing freely - and there was plenty of room underneath.  
The train was fast, but the sheer force of desperation was enough for Alex to jump, his claws scratched metal for a moment, then his hind paws found a hold and he climbed onto the wagon, curled up and gasped for air.

Alex woke up when the train came to a halt with a screeching sound. Shocked, he looked around and recognized a freight station, bathed in the twilight of dusk.  
He could smell werewolves and the smell was strong enough that they must be workers; presumably the station was in the territory of a pack - meaning he had a problem.  
When the screeching of the train stopped, he heard voices, laughter, the sounds of heavy machinery. He had to get out of here, quickly and inconspicuously, but when he rose, all the muscles of his body protested and he laboriously suppressed a whimper.  
"Do you smell that?" The words came clearly to his ears, much too close.  
"A wounded Royal," said a second male voice. "A... stranger."  
Panic rose in Alex, they had discovered him and would certainly punish him for invading their territory.  
"Brick will want to see him."  
Brick? He licked his face, tasted dust and metal, smelled three different people.  
"We know you're there. You can come out, we won't hurt you." The speaker was too far away to smell a possible lie, but Alex didn't want to risk it and jumped off the wagon. The men were fortunately on the other side of the train- he could see boots and dirty orange trousers- and he scurried away, ducked under another train, a second and third, and reached a patch of trees. After the strange stones of the station grounds, his sore paws rejoiced at the soft wet earth, but then he stopped stiff as a poker.  
He smelled a Royal. He had never met one before, but it was a primal instinct that told him so, and he trusted his senses. But there was something else in the air, something strangely familiar, like one of his favorite places on their routes, although he had never been here in this area before.  
It made him feel safe.  
He sniffed again. The feeling of security grew stronger with every breath, enveloped him until he almost wagged his tail in relief. And then he ran off to look for the source.


	2. The other Royal

Barry's whisper woke Julie even through the closed door. Tension was in the air and so she slipped out of bed and opened her room door a crack wide. At the end of the hallway, Barry and an older woman stood in the dim light of the night lights.  
"No, no, it's not as bad as that," the woman said softly. "He is exhausted and probably quite starved, but with enough rest, food and blood he will recover in a week."  
"The injuries aren't healing properly." Barry's voice was not meant to be a whisper.  
"Because his body didn't have the necessary rest and energy. He looks like he's been chased."  
Barry hummed approvingly and then raised his eyes. A frown flitted across his face when he saw Julie, then nodded at the woman. "Thank you, Lillian."  
Lillian nodded and hurried away, pressing a heavy doctor's bag against herself. Barry came up to Julie and put a heavy hand on her shoulder.  
"He's here." He didn't sound half as enthusiastic as she had expected.  
"He's hurt?" she asked softly and Barry nodded. He was worried and nervous.  
"He collapsed from exhaustion in the garden. I had to force him to take human form."  
Julie opened her mouth in surprise. "Is he... a rogue?"  
"I hope not. But he doesn't smell like one either." A rogue would be the worst possible outcome after years of waiting. Julie wrapped her arms around herself and Barry gently squeezed her shoulder. She looked up and he nodded at her.  
He would find a solution if there really was a problem.

~

Safety.  
Warm safety surrounded Alex and he took a deep breath. He felt like he was in his absolute favorite place, the small lake they reached in late summer; on the big flat stones, warmed by the sun, you could wonderfully watch the pack romping around on the beach.  
But he lay much softer than on stones, was actually wrapped in something warm and soft that caressed his skin. His sore muscles twitched when he noticed that he was a human, probably lying in a bed, in a house, in a foreign territory...  
Something reacted to his movement and with the next breath he noticed it - three people. The Royal.  
But he wasn't a danger. On the contrary, he reminded Alex of Vincent. Reminded him of family, but different, without blood ties and yet stronger than that. It was confusing.  
And there was another male, a strong Beta, but he smelled strangely, somehow hollow, as if he were ill.  
And a female, an Omega with a soothing scent of honey and wild strawberries.

Since it could not be avoided, he opened his eyes and sat up. It spun in his head for a moment, the unfamiliar surroundings with unfamiliar colors made it even worse, but then his gaze stuck to the Royal sitting on a black frame. The man looked younger than Rick, but had the aura of an Alpha who no longer had to fight to determine the hierarchy. Dark brown hair, warm brown eyes, smooth cheeks. He returned Alex's gaze attentively and finally raised his chin slightly.  
"I am Bartholomeus Brick, Royal of the Lightfall pack. This is my home, my territory. You have been chosen as my heir, so now it is your home and your territory, too." A pleasant voice, friendly. The word _heir_ irritated Alex, because reign was not inherited and he was not related to this Royal.  
"Will you tell us your name?" Bartholomeus asked - what a terrible name.  
Alex just brought out a croak and cleared his throat. "Alex," he replied quietly. His ears twitched- human ears, but when he wanted to call his wolf ears, Bartholomeus said sharply:  
"Don't shift."  
Alex flinched and pulled his shoulders up before shaking his head weakly.  
"Alex. Okay. Your last name?" Why did he need another name? "Your family name. Or the name of your pack," Bartholomeus added.  
"The Rustling Leaves."  
"Ah." The Royal seemed surprised and thoughtfully tilted his head a little. "Who is the current Alpha?"  
Alex shrugged. "Vincent has died." Did Bartholomeus know him from somewhere? "Rick chased me away."  
"Is he the new Alpha?"  
"Probably. But he has every right to do so."  
"To do what? To chase you away?"  
Alex nodded. "I'm not his son."  
Bartholomeus opened his mouth, but the words came two heartbeats later. "Your mother is his mate?"  
"She was." Alex's mother had died when he was still a tiny furball. Regret was in the air and Alex felt even more uncomfortable with it. As long as the Royal spoke to him and demanded his attention, everything was fine, but now this room was too cramped for him, the air too stuffy and warm, it was too quiet and too empty, and he was not allowed to have ears or a tail to express himself. He would have liked best to curl up under the warm blankets.

"Alex."  
His attention snapped back to the Royal.  
"That," he made a minimal gesture to the side, "are Emmett and Julie." Alex turned his head and saw the Beta and Omega kneeling by the door.  
The young man had reddish-brown hair and deep brown eyes, the young woman chestnut brown hair and light green eyes. She exuded nervousness on the edge to fear.  
"These two were born to serve. They were chosen to serve _you_ , to take care of you, to take care of your mate and your pups, and to provide you with the blood you need. They are your chosen companions, but they can be whatever you want them to be: servants, advisors, friends..."  
At these words, Emmett smiled cautiously, his hollow scent taking on a warm note. Julie didn't move.  
"I have no mate," Alex said, because apparently, he was expected to say something.  
"Not yet," Bartholomeus said, and a surprisingly warm smile appeared on his face. Alex's stomach rumbled audibly, reminding him that he hadn't eaten for an eternity.  
"Would you like me to prepare some food for you?", Julie asked softly.  
"That... would be nice," Alex replied reluctantly. Immediately she rose in a smooth movement and slipped out the door.  
"Emmett will find you something to wear and take care of this mess once you've eaten," Bartholomeus said, pointing with Alex's irritated look at his own hair and non-existent beard. Alex raised his hand to his own face. Some of the others had scissors and cut their hair and beard at irregular intervals, but he didn't really care.  
Emmett also slipped out, and immediately the atmosphere changed. Alex ducked his head.  
"You don't need to be afraid of me, Alex," Bartholomeus assured him. "We're going for a run tonight, you and I, and I will accept you. Then you will officially be my son and heir."  
"I'm not your son," Alex replied cautiously.  
"Not by blood ties, no, but none of my real sons are Royals, and fate has brought you to me as it is the way of the world." Bartholomeus tilted his head a little, while underlining his words with a nod. Then he rose and Alex lowered his head again; the Royal was tall and broadly built.  
"I have a few things to do concerning your arrival, but I'll see you tonight. Emmett and Julie are entirely at your disposal, and you can ask them anything you want."  
Alex nodded silently and watched Bartholomeus leave the room, leaving the door a little open.  
The room was small and cramped, full of furniture for which Alex knew no name, but the bed on which he sat would have had room for at least six or seven wolves. A glass door led out into the sunlit garden and Alex itched to open it, but he didn't dare. Looking at the trees and colorful flowers he noticed that he had forgotten to apologize for trespassing the territory.

A sound at the room door made him turn his head back around - there stood Emmett and Julie, the former with a bundle of cloth, the latter with something in her hands that smelled like warm human food.  
Slowly, Julie approached him and then placed the plate next to him on the bed.  
"I don't know what you like or what you're used to, so I just kept the sandwich simple." Triangular slices of bread, in between smoked poultry meat and greens.  
"Thank you."  
Her nervousness had subsided a little and she nodded at him before retreating.  
"When you've eaten, you should wash," Emmett said, not quite so quietly, and laid the bundle down on the bed. He stood there attentively as Julie left the room again.  
Alex nodded slowly and reached for the sandwich. Every movement hurt, and he only now noticed that he wore a bandage on his left wrist.  
"You can relax," Emmett said suddenly and Alex winced. "You're home now."  
When he didn't show the reaction Emmett expected, he added:  
"You're safe."


	3. Beta

Alex gulped down the sandwich while keeping an eye on Emmett who just stood there and waited.  
"Hmm, time for a bath."  
Alex nodded and slipped out of bed, Emmett took the bundle of clothes.  
"Come."  
He followed the Beta out of the room into a dim hallway, along it for a bit and then through a door into another room. There everything was in unreal white and sky blue and it smelled like water, clean and a little bit like chemicals. Emmett put the bundle on a shelf and then turned to Alex. He sighed.  
"I don't suppose you know how to use an electric razor?"  
Alex shook his head.  
"Sit down there, okay?" He pointed to some kind of stool and Alex obeyed. From a hidden compartment behind a mirror, Emmett pulled out something black, about the size of a rat. Emmett looked at him a little indecisively, then sighed again.  
"Would you mind if we were to start all over regarding your hair?"  
"It's just hair," Alex replied, shrugging half-heartedly.  
"Good." The thing in Emmett's hand started buzzing and Emmett took it to Alex's temple. Seconds later, light-blond streaks almost as long as Alex's forearm slid to the floor.  
Soon after, his head felt strange and when he raised his hand, all that was left of his hair was stubble the length of a phalanx. Emmett gave him a wry smile, the black thing clicked twice, and then he ran it across Alex's cheeks, chin, and throat until all that was left of his honey-blond beard was a faint scratch on his cheeks.  
"And suddenly you're a completely different person," Emmett noticed with his head tilted and took a step back.  
"I'm not human," Alex corrected him with a frown and he grinned.  
"No, but that's how you say it." He put that black thing back in its place. "In two or three days I'll show you how to shave properly."  
"Okay," Alex muttered, feeling that an answer was expected. Emmett pointed to a light blue, shiny thing.  
"That's the toilet. It's where you, uh, do your business."  
"What kind of business?"  
"Peeing, for example." Emmett narrowed his brows. "You open the lid, sit down, do what you have to do, then push this button. Oh, and wipe your ass first." He pointed to a white role that hung on the wall.  
"Why?"  
"Why what?"  
"Why do you use that thing?"  
Emmett blinked confused and a hint of helplessness surrounded him. "Because you can't just go into the woods when you need to pee. We may have a garden, but we still live in the city. There's no woods behind every house."  
"Okay."  
"Um... yeah... That's the shower right there. Wait..." Emmett went to the shower and took a silver thing connected to the wall by a silver rope from a hook. He pushed on something and water came out of the round end of the thing.  
"With this lever here you can set the temperature, warmer on the left, colder on the right- just as you like. If you hang the shower head up, you can stand under it properly and have both hands free. Hmm, I think that's good... Come here."  
Alex got up from the stool and stepped into the shower; the floor was roughened so that the wet feet didn't slip. Emmett carefully held the water jet against Alex's feet.  
"Is the temperature okay?" The water was surprisingly warm and Alex nodded, whereupon Emmett let the water slowly move higher, up to his shoulders, and then hung the shower head on the hook.  
"Why is the water warm? Cold is good enough for washing."  
"Warm water helps dissolve the dirt. And it relaxes." He was not completely wrong, because under the warm water the sore feeling of his muscles ebbed away. "The things on that shelf are for washing," Emmett continued, pointing to a narrow, multi-compartment rack. "The green bottle at the bottom is for the body."  
Following the hidden invitation, Alex reached for it and Emmett gestured to indicate what he should do.

A little later, chemical-smelling foam burned on Alex's skin and still unhealed cuts and scratches.  
"What's the other stuff for?" he asked.  
Emmett shrugged amused. "The top shelf is Barry's. The bottom shelf is mine. The rest in between is Julie's, so you'll have to ask her."  
Alex slowly counted - five compartments were full of bottles and pots and tubes in many different colors, giving off a muffled artificial smell that tickled the nose.  
"Under the arms and between the legs," Emmett said. "And the wild forest there you'll have to take care of yourself sometime."  
Alex frowned and looked down at himself, but Emmett just shook his head and took a dark green thick blanket from a shelf.  
"Rinse off the foam thoroughly. Then turn off the water and dry off."

Putting on the chosen clothes was another hurdle, because Alex suddenly found his genitals stuck in tight trousers, which according to Emmett were actually still much too big. The socks robbed him of his feeling for the floor. Only the shirt with the long sleeves was okay, but that too was criticized as too big, although Emmett was just as tall as Alex, even though he was built broader. Even though he had possessed trousers and a sweater, he didn't feel comfortable in human clothing and tugged awkwardly at it.  
"Do I have to wear this?"  
"You can't walk around naked."  
"Why not?"  
"Because all people wear clothes. Yes, you are not human, but humans outnumber us."  
"I thought Royals ruled over humans."  
"You do." Emmett was searching for words. "It's just polite to wear clothes even when we don't need to, okay? Most people... um... Nudity is a private, intimate thing."  
That was a rather strange explanation, but at least Alex knew that people needed clothes because of the temperatures. "Okay..."  
Emmett took a deep breath. "Let me show you around the house, okay?"  
"Okay."

~

"...and this is the kitchen. This is where the food is prepared and most of the supplies are stored."  
Julie, who had been sitting at the kitchen isle, leafing through a magazine, looked up as Emmett and Alex entered. Stunned, an _"'oh"_ slipped from her lips. The emaciated Neanderthal had turned into a handsome young man, slender and with intensely shining blue eyes over a few freckles on his cheekbones.  
"Impressive transformation, isn't it?" Emmett said amusedly and she nodded.  
Alex tugged uncomfortably at his shirt.  
"Would you like some more food?" she asked, partly so they wouldn't all keep quiet a little overwhelmed. "Dinner will be a while yet, and I doubt if the sandwich was enough..."  
Alex nodded and Emmett pointed to the chairs.  
"Sit down."  
Julie, on the other hand, rose and stepped up to the huge refrigerator. Marge, the housekeeper, made sure it was always well stocked, so she could safely take a large portion of veal. At the sight of Alex cowering on the edge of the chair as if he was about to run away at any moment, she doubted that he had learned to use a knife and fork, so she cut the meat into narrow strips before searing it. Alex flinched at the first hiss from the pan, but then sniffed audibly.  
"Your pack is nomadic, right?"  
"Yes," came the silent answer.  
"And you don't come into contact with humans at all?"  
"We avoid them as best we can. Sammy buys things sometimes. Medicine or toys for the pups or special food or clothes."  
"So you know what money is?"  
"People get it for work and buy things with it."  
Julie sprinkled a little salt on the meat, turned it over one last time and then put it on a plate. "Can you do math?"  
"A little." He seemed uncomfortable.  
"Reading and writing?"  
"A little," he murmured even more softly. She glanced at Emmett, who answered with a helpless shrug, and then put the plate down for Alex. Immediately, he wanted to reach for the meat and she gave him a slap on the wrist - startled, he squeaked and she bounced back.  
"Forgive me," she whispered and had to pull herself together not to fall on her knees in front of the Royal with a trained reflex. Emmett's palpable tension didn't make it any better. Alex made a face.  
"Why can't I eat it?"  
"I-it's still hot. And we use cutlery. Here." Hastily she pulled a slim fork from a drawer.  
"But when it's hot, you can't eat it." Frowning, he looked at her and she nodded gently. She skewered a piece of meat.  
"If you're not sure, do this." She touched her lower lip with the meat. "If it's too hot, you blow on it gently." Gently she blew on the meat, then she handed him the fork. He imitated the gesture and as he chewed, his face brightened.  
"Thanks for the food."  
"Always a pleasure."  
Emmett stood up and put water glasses in front of them all. "You need to drink properly. If you want something besides water, let me know."  
But Alex shook his head and held the glass as if it could break.

"Who else lives here?" Alex asked and Julie said:  
"Marge and Damien, they manage the house and garden."  
And Emmett seamlessly added: "And Lester and Tiffany, they are to Barry what we are to you."  
Alex nodded and pushed the empty plate away, then he gave Emmett a critical eye. "You smell wrong."  
Emmett smiled weakly. "Do I?" Julie couldn't imagine that the two had already formed a blood bond, but Emmett was already beginning to balance his Royal.  
"You smell hollow. Sick."  
Emmett shook his head. "I'm not sick. I'm just not what you expect a man to smell like."  
Alex frowned.  
"I am infertile and asexual."  
"You're sick."  
"No, this is deliberate."  
"Why would anyone want you unable to breed?"  
"Betas like Emmett shall be the shadow of a Royal," Julie said softly. "They're strong enough to balance your moods and keep you from doing something stupid in case of emergency"- Emmett would be able to handle an average Alpha in case of doubt- "but they lack any male markings so they can take care of your mate and your pups without triggering you."  
Alex's frown deepened as he checked Emmett thoroughly. "Would you turn against me?" he asked.  
"I'll get in your way if I have to," Emmett said slowly and carefully. "But no more."  
Alex nodded thoughtfully.  
"We're a pack within a pack," Emmett then said, after glancing at Julie. "In a few weeks you'll understand better what I mean."  
Alex nodded again and Julie used the moment to put the dishes away.  
"I have a few things to discuss with Barry," Emmett then murmured, and after a moment's hesitation, left the kitchen.  
Alex was still sitting in his chair, though no longer with the attitude of running away. Instead, he turned his examining curious gaze upon Julie.  
The longer he looked at her, the more uncomfortable she felt, and his frown came back.  
"You don't need to be afraid of me."  
"I'm sorry that I... I mean, I didn't mean... About the food..." He made her nervous. There was something fragile about him, an irritating innocence, and at the same time she knew that he would probably kill without hesitation if he saw any danger- simply because he didn't know any better.  
"A slap hurts less than a burnt mouth," he said, and she saw his human ears twitch before his lips hesitantly curled into what was probably supposed to be a smile. He slipped off his chair and came over to her to look out onto the terrace and garden.  
"You smell good," he said with a sidelong glance, and although that was probably meant as a compliment, she felt like prey on the display plate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to leave comments.  
> This is my very own interpretation of a werewolf-world, but if there's something that seems wrong, just tell me.  
> As well as for mistakes in grammar and stuff, I'm not a native speaker.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	4. Family

Emmett's explanation- odd as it was- made sense somehow. And it wasn't as if the Beta had no smell at all; during the tour of the big house, Alex had noticed a smell of dry wood on him, heated by the sun. He liked the way Emmett smelled, it gave him a sense of security and trust. Julie, standing next to Alex at the glass door, smelled good, too, but since Emmett had left, there was an undertone of nervousness, almost fear.  
"Can I go outside?"  
"Oh... um... we can sit on the terrace..." She sounded uncertain, but opened the door and stepped outside with him. The floor looked like wood, but felt like stone; on the surface thus covered was a large table with several chairs, both of dark heavy wood.  
"In summer we sometimes eat out here," Julie said quietly, and took from a box on the wall two yellow-white striped cushions, which she placed on two chairs.  
Alex nodded and sat down, she did the same next to him.

They were silent, but it was a very pleasant silence, and Julie's smell returned to its normal basic level, comforting Alex. An Omega should not be afraid of his Alpha.  
He was fed, clean and rested, the Royal present was friendly to him - and yet the thought gnawed at him whether Rick would continue to search for him. And what he would do if he found him. Would Bartholomeus really protect him?

Alex flinched from a nap as Julie's chair scraped across the floor. She looked at him apologetically.  
"I didn't want to wake you," she said softly and he shook his head a little dazed.  
"Where are you going?" Out here, amidst the smells of nature he knew and could identify, he realized what a weak Omega she actually was. Definitely someone you needed to protect.  
A faint smile flitted across her face. "To the bathroom. And then I'm going to help Marge with dinner." He nodded, but got up regardless and followed her into the house, where he stopped like rooted to the spot.  
Next to one of the closets stood a chubby little woman, a human, gathering food.  
"Oh, hello my dear," she said when she noticed him and turned around.  
"Alex, this is Marge, our housekeeper," Julie said seriously. "She cooks and cleans for us and... she raised Emmett and me."  
"But you and Emmett are not siblings," Alex said, frowning.  
"No, of course not," Julie rushed to say, and Marge said:  
"Damien and I adopted them, sort of, and raised them the same way we raised our own two daughters."  
"But why-"  
"Kids like Emmett and me grow up in the household where they're supposed to serve," Julie said quickly.  
That probably made sense, too, so Alex just nodded.

Fascinated, he watched the two women prepare the food a little later and a delicious smell slowly spread through the kitchen. When done, he carried the bowls with them to the adjacent dining room where Emmett had already prepared the table. Finally, Marge and a bald man entered, introducing himself as Damien, and then they waited together for only a few moments until Bartholomew walked through the large main door, followed by a rather old man and a relatively young woman- Lester and Tiffany, if Alex remembered correctly.  
Bartholomeus held Alex's gaze for a moment until he felt extremely uncomfortable. "Well then, let's eat." Bartholomeus sat down at the small side of the table, to his left Lester sat down, and when Tiffany wanted to sit at his right side, Bartholomeus lifted only one finger.  
"Excuse me." she muttered and hurried around the table to sit next to Lester.  
"This is your seat from now on," Emmett said softly, giving Alex a gentle nudge. Reluctantly, Alex sat down in the chair assigned to him and was relieved to see Emmett sitting next to him.

There was an uncomfortable silence during the meal, which made Alex nervous - and therefore everyone else too. He had no idea what exactly he was eating, but it tasted good, and Emmett helped him hold the cutlery properly. Bartholomeus and Lester were watching him pretty closely and Tiffany was giving him grudging looks.  
When Bartholomeus finally cleared his throat, everyone seemed relieved.  
"Alex and I will now go outside."  
Hurriedly Alex got up when Bartholomeus did, and followed him into the unlit living room.  
"Undress," said the Royal, and began to peel himself from his clothes; Alex was only too happy to comply with the request.

"I'll keep the ritual short because you're exhausted," Bartholomeus then explained seriously and pulled the glass door to another terrace open. "It begins when we as wolves leave the stones and ends when we enter the house. I will hurt you and I will drink your blood, but remember: it is only a ritual." And before Alex could say anything, Bartholomeus moved forward and a huge anthracite wolf jumped onto the terrace. His own transformation seized him and he shook his pale brown fur before he followed the dark wolf.  
They trotted across the grass and Bartholomeus pushed against his shoulder. Alex stumbled in surprise and it took three more nudges before he returned the gesture. They fought with each other like playing pups, reached the trees and chased each other through the undergrowth for a while until Bartholomeus barked briefly.  
It was a warning and Alex put his ears down, tucked his tail in when growled at, and finally presented his throat and belly. But Bartholomeus nudged him with his snout until he rolled over on his belly and pressed himself to the ground with his ears laid flat. Like a little pup he was grabbed in the neck, gently and without hurting him.  
And then Bartholomeus suddenly kneeled before him on the earth as a human and Alex also shifted, only to gasp in horror as the royal's mouth deformed and formed fangs.  
The fact that Royals drank blood was just a legend to him, a warning for naughty pups, and when Bartholomeus had spoken of it, he had understood it as a kind of metaphor, just as it was common in nomadic packs to symbolically chop off a paw when submitting to a new Alpha.  
Obviously, it was a mistake.  
The old Royal stood up and pulled Alex rudely onto his feet, grabbed him by the throat and turned his head unpleasantly far to the side before lowering the fangs on his neck. But Alex didn't feel more than a fine sting. Accordingly, he was almost surprised when Bartholomeus retreated with his mouth covered in blood. He deliberately let the blood run over his lips, over his chin, it dripped onto his chest and belly and then he swallowed audibly and visibly. A rumble rose from his throat and lasted until he stood there again as a dark wolf. Alex shifted too, the small bite on his neck pinched, but that was forgotten when Bartholomeus tore him from his paws with full force and threw him against a tree. Whimpering, Alex picked himself up and blinked irritated. The old wolf just sat there and looked at him, waited for Alex to lay to his feet and then growled satisfied. And then he just trotted away.  
Stunned, Alex scratched behind one ear and then followed him back to the house.

Still on the meadow Bartholomeus shifted back and Alex paused. In the lighted living room, all the others stood and looked outside. They waited for them.  
The naked Royal entered the terrace and paused when he reached the door. "Come in, boy," he said over his shoulder to Alex.  
He was uncertain. Why were the others waiting there? Carefully, he took two steps and then paused again, one front paw in the air. Bartholomeus joined in, one hand each on the shoulder of Lester and Tiffany. More or less directly behind the wide-open door stood Emmett and Julie; Emmett had one arm around her shoulders.  
They waited for _him_. Alex put his paw back on the ground and shifted, Emmett held out an inviting hand to him. They waited for him to _welcome_ him.  
Hesitantly, he took a few steps and then something changed in the air. This was _his_ pack, _his_ territory.  
A smile spread on the faces of the others.  
He sucked in the air, differentiated the scents and concentrated on Emmett. Warm wood. Forest. Emmett smelled of safety, smelled strangely familiar and of trust. Just like the smoky scent of Bartholomeus.  
Family smelled like that.  
Alex reached out and took Emmett's hand as he stepped over the threshold.  
  
Now he was home.


	5. Blood bond

"Alex?"   
Alex's head jerked up and for an uncomfortably long moment he was confused, before he realized where he was. Julie knelt in front of his bed, her smell half-overlaid by artificial scents. He wrinkled his nose and sneezed.   
"Bless you. You know, one of the golden rules of the household is: no wolf shape," she explained seriously.   
Alex rumbled and turned back into a human being.   
"Your wolf is dirty and is losing half a ton of hair..." she went on and wrinkled her nose as she looked at the blankets.   
"My wolf?" he asked. "Why my wolf? I am the wolf."   
"Oh. Well, that's what is said. We differentiate between the two shapes." She shrugged.   
"Why are you kneeling?"   
She had no answer to that.   
"You don't have to do this."   
Quickly she rose. "Please put some clothes on. Or take a shower first. Emmett and I are waiting for you for breakfast."   
"But I washed yesterday," he objected and slipped out of bed.   
"Most of us take a shower every day, or at least every two days. Humans find body scent disturbing," Julie explained and retreated a little as Alex bent over and sniffed at her. He promptly had to sneeze again.   
"You smell strange."   
"I just took a shower." She sounded a little offended.   
"But you smell like chemicals." He frowned. "How am I supposed to know how you feel when you cover your smell?"   
She made a face and backed away a little more. "I'll remember that. But may I suggest we teach you how to brush your teeth?"

Emmett had explained to Alex that they had all meals in the large dining room, but Emmett was sitting in the kitchen sipping from a steaming cup.   
"Oh, hey. Had a good sleep?"   
Alex nodded; he actually had.   
"Marge made tea," Emmett said to Julie.   
"I see it. Alex, would you like some?"   
"What exactly is tea?"   
"This." Emmett shoved the cup at him. "You pour hot water over dried herbs or fruit or a special tea bush. Depending on what you take, it may have a medicinal effect. For example, for stomach ache."   
"Otherwise," Julie threw in and put a second steaming cup in front of Emmett, "it tastes good, warms in winter, and relaxes the soul." She gave Alex a cautious smile. "Has Marge put honey in it yet?"   
"You know Marge."   
"That's why I ask, she never puts in enough."   
Emmett laughed softly and Julie took a jar from a cupboard that smelled intensely of honey. She took a spoon and took out a large blob of honey, which she put in the teacup.   
"Julie is a little sweet tooth. She doesn't drink tea with honey, she drinks honey with tea," Emmett mocked lovingly and received an equally loving pat on the head.   
"Idiot."   
The two of them exuded an affection that almost hurt while watching. They had been raised like siblings, by a woman who was not their mother, but despite the lack of blood ties, this was a real family. Alex thought of Vincent and Victor and Rick and let his head hang down a little. Immediately, Emmett reached for his hand and squeezed it.   
"We're here for you. Just for you, okay?" Warm wood.   
Alex nodded and hesitantly reached for the cup, which Emmett pushed a little closer to him. Carefully, he tasted the hot liquid and was surprised. Tart and sweet, red fruit and honey, apple and something he couldn't name.   
"Can I have another cup? I think he likes it," Emmett murmured amused and Alex looked up.   
"This tastes like Julie smells," he said. Julie blushed and exuded a confusing chaos of shame, joy and pride while Emmett chuckled.   
"Breakfast?"   
"Breakfast," Julie murmured and turned away.

A huge portion of eggs and crispy wafer-thin meat later, Emmett looked at him expectantly.   
"We need to talk about the blood bond."   
"What is a blood bond?" Alex asked curiously.   
"You must affirm that we belong and serve only to you. I mean, we'll be supplying you with blood from now on anyway, but if you complete the circle, every werewolf will know that we belong to you."   
"What do you mean, _supply with blood_? Does meat not have enough blood?"   
"Oh dear," Julie sighed. "You've never drunk blood before?"   
Alex shook his head.   
"That explains a lot." She and Emmett exchanged a look.   
"Royals need blood. Obviously not to survive, but to reach their personal maximum. Strength, senses, speed, self-healing. It's been proven that a consistent mix of male and female blood has the greatest effect, so..." Emmett made a strange gesture. "We are here to serve."   
"I thought that was a legend," Alex said slowly and they both shook their heads. Emmett slipped out of his chair and stood in front of Alex.   
"The easiest places are the wrist or the neck, but there are other places that'll do."   
"Which one?" Alex asked as Emmett took a breath.   
"The crook of the arm or the inner thigh, ankle. Breasts or penis."   
Irritated Alex blinked; it was a very strange thought. Emmett shrugged suggestively and took a knife, which Julie handed him.   
"You drink my blood and then give me some of yours afterwards. Done. Okay?"   
"I... I have seen Bartholomeus'," he stumbled over the name and Julie softly said:   
"Barry's enough."   
Alex cleared his throat. "I saw Barry's fangs, but I don't know where they came from." A little worried, Emmett looked at him.   
"I'm gonna overpower you and force you and it would be nice if you don't fight it, okay?"   
"Okay...?"   
Emmett took Alex's hands and laid them against his cheeks, then Emmett's warm hands held Alex's face. A shiver ran down Emmett's body and passed to Alex; his first instinct was to actually fight it and it took him a moment to suppress that instinct - he didn't want to hurt Emmett. And then he moaned when his teeth, his jaw hurt like crazy. He tried to pull away, but Emmett rumbled a warning and then it was over. He shook himself and carefully touched the strange long and sharp teeth with his tongue. Slowly, Emmett raised his hand.   
"Try not to bite my hand off, okay?"   
"I don't want to hurt you," Alex replied with a frown.   
"I know."   
"Five sips maximum," Julie said tense from the background.   
Carefully, Alex took Emmett's wrist and led it to his mouth, hesitantly drilling the far too long teeth into the skin and felt Emmett twitch. A deeply rooted instinct told him how to act and then he was almost disappointed when the blood tasted like normal animal blood. When he was finished, he licked his lips. Emmett just nodded and lifted the knife. Uncomfortable, Alex allowed a cut to his wrist and watched with even more discomfort as Emmett lowered his lips and sucked awkwardly.   
And then... Emmett was _his._ It was nothing to fight about, but rather an unshakable fact and Alex knew he would kill to protect him. Emmett seemed overwhelmed and actually speechless, he cleared his throat and with trembling fingers put the knife aside. Julie stepped next to him, briefly interlocking her fingers with his and he retreated.   
Again Alex licked his lips and Julie smiled up at him tense before offering her wrist. He wanted to hurt her even less than Emmett and she too flinched under his teeth. But something was different.   
With the first sip, heat shot through Alex's body, almost scorching his eyes behind closed lids. The second sip felt wrong. He let go of her wrist, buried one hand in her hair - startled, she squealed- and sank his teeth into her neck.   
"Alex," Emmett said sharply, but Alex pulled Julie close, held her down and drank her blood. This way and no other, it was perfect.   
"Alex, stop!"   
He withdrew his teeth, but he wanted to touch her, to smell and feel her, rubbing his nose against her neck and clawing his fingers into her shirt, because the fabric was bothering him.   
Emmett growled deeply and with a warning, and then fingernails drilled into Alex's neck and pulled him back. The Beta was ready to fight, ready to defend his foster sister, even against the Royal to whom he had just sworn lifelong loyalty. Alex's instincts also switched to fight mode, ready to fight for his property, but then Julie's scent reached him under the smell of blood.   
She was terrified. Of him. And Emmett was no threat.   
Hissing, he sucked in the air and relaxed. Julie sobbed. Emmett frowned at him, and he took a step back before a fine pinch on his wrist reminded him what they were doing here. With a fingernail, he reopened the already closing wound and held his arm out to Julie. Trembling, she grabbed it and lowered her lips onto his skin. She laboriously choked down a small amount of blood and retreated.   
Mine. _Mine_. **Mine**. A voice shouted deep in Alex as another heat wave rolled through his body. And as Julie literally ran away, these damn pants got even tighter.   
"What the fuck was that?" Emmett was furious.   
"I don't know," Alex answered truthfully, looking over at Emmett. "I scared her." He didn't sound nearly as miserable as he felt about it.   
"Damn right! You- Stop!" Emmett held him in an iron grip as he tried to go after her. The Beta was a lot stronger than he seemed to be, but Alex still paid him respect for getting in his way right now. He wanted to take care of his Omega, damn it!   
He growled and Emmett growled back, but let him go.   
"Give her a little time to calm down. And then you'll apologize."   
"I intended to," Alex rumbled.   
"Good," Emmett rumbled.   
They stared at each other for a moment, then Emmett sighed.   
"You want to protect your Omega, don't you?"   
"Of course I do," Alex angrily returned. "Every Alpha does, Royal or not."   
"No," Emmett said softly, "not every Alpha does. And that's why she's scared of you. Because you're wild and unpredictable. Because you follow instincts instead of human rules. Because she doesn't know how you'll treat her."   
"An Alpha who doesn't protect his Omegas doesn't deserve respect or leadership," Alex replied with a frown.   
"Then make it clear to her that that's the way you think," Emmett said determinedly and hesitated.   
Alex's frown deepened.   
"Julie is not just an Omega. She's an _absolute_ Omega."   
"I never heard of that."   
"Like my kind of Betas, they are a special bloodline, bred to serve." Emmett looked at him intently. "Absolute Omegas are beyond command, but only their chosen Royal can punish them for something They are absolutely faithful and vulnerable. Not only in normal life, but everywhere. And if _you_ represent a danger, it is _my_ job to protect her."   
Alex nodded barely, still frowning. "Then why is she so scared?"   
Emmett sighed and rubbed his neck. "Most Royals are male. You live an awfully long life and you don't always find a mate. Or if you do, it's not always available - pregnancy, pups... An absolute Omega is no rival to your mate, for they can only conceive if you don't have a mate."   
Alex blinked in confusion as that didn't answer his question and Emmett sighed again, the subject making him uncomfortable.   
"Absolute Omegas serve primarily to your desires. For sex."


	6. Fur and skin

As if one had flipped a switch at Alex in the night, his alpha instincts suddenly seemed to have awakened. He didn't seem like a scared puppy anymore, but like a... well, a scrappy alpha puppy.   
Julie gently touched the bite mark on her neck, which was slowly closing. He had never drunk blood before, he was overwhelmed by the sudden blood bond, Omegas were easy to control...   
She rubbed her forehead, sighing as she realized she was looking for excuses. Emmett and Barry would protect her, she was sure of it. Despite the warm sun, she shuddered and rubbed her arms; the wooden chair on the terrace was beginning to get uncomfortable, but she didn't want to go inside the house, didn't want to feel locked up.

"Wrooff!"   
Julie winced and looked to the left. The light brown wolf figure of Alex sat there wagging his tail, carrying a dog brush in his mouth. Stunned, she blinked at Alex before slowly reaching out her hand and taking the brush.   
"Who gave you the brush? Emmett?"   
A shake of the head.   
"Marge?"   
A nod. She sighed.   
"Well, at least you need it."   
Alex tilted his head and she rose to kneel beside him. It would have been a very natural reaction to be more afraid of the wolf than of the human, but with her it was the other way around. Carefully she moved the brush over the fur on his neck and back and at the third brush stroke he started to rumble softly.   
"You like that, hmm?"   
The answer was a nod with closed eyes.   
"Emmett loves that too. When he's grumpy, I have to brush his fur for hours. He's a little darker than you, with a reddish tint on his belly and dark paws."   
Alex was almost uniformly colored, only the right ear was in a light cream tone with almost white tip.

Julie just talked. It drove away the underlying nervousness and Alex obviously enjoyed this kind of attention. The more she brushed out of the superfluous winter coat - it was already quite warm for mid-May - the more his scent surrounded her. He smelled of wet earth and wet leaves, of tree resin and conifers. He smelled like she imagined a deep dark forest, with cobwebs and mushrooms and hidden sunny spots.   
Immersed in this image, she scratched his belly, his paw hanging over her wrist, when she suddenly remembered that this wasn't Emmett, and that there was an attractive man inside who would probably take her to his bed sooner rather than later. She pulled back her hand and moved it a little.   
"I think we're done."   
He whimpered in response and almost howled as she stood up and quite unsuccessfully tapped his hair from his trousers.   
"We have to wash you, Alex. And yes, you took a shower yesterday, but your wolf is dirty."

Obediently he trotted into the bathroom beside her and jumped lightly into the bathtub when she pointed to it. He sat there motionless while she soaked the fur in warm water; but then he growled displeased when she opened a bottle of fur shampoo.   
"I know it smells bad, but it helps with fleas and vermin." She hadn't finished speaking when a human was already sitting in the tub.   
"I have no fleas!" he protested indignantly.   
"But the smell sticks and fleas don't like it."   
"I don't want to smell like this stuff."   
"It's just a precaution..."   
"No!"   
"Alex, if you bring fleas into our house-"   
He suddenly got up and she fell on her butt in surprise. Dripping wet, he got out of the tub and gave her a mortally offended look. "I have no fleas!" He grabbed the towel that she had placed aside and stepped out.

~

With angry movements Alex dried himself off.   
"Flea shampoo, Julie? Really?" Emmett asked amused. Alex had simply walked past him. Julie sighed.   
"As a precaution. We're talking about a nomadic wolf-"   
"I have no fleas!" Alex shouted angrily again and Emmett chuckled.   
"You'd better not, or you'll make enemies immediately. Barry wants us to go into town and buy you clothes." He appeared in the open door of Alex's bedroom and grinned happily, whereupon Alex's face distorted even further.   
"I don't like clothes."   
"You can't walk around naked," Julie said in the background. "And there's no discussion about it."   
Alex growled.   
"Get dressed," Emmett said, still smiling. "I'll see if I can find you some shoes. You have surprisingly small feet for a man."   
Alex looked at his feet and wiggled his toes, but didn't find anything unusual about them.

When he stepped dressed into the corridor, Julie, who in the meantime had fetched a small shoulder bag, nodded seriously at him. She had obviously calmed down, but some tension had returned now that he was human again.   
The fact that she was absolutely relaxed when she could caress a wild wolf only made sense when Alex thought about what Emmett had told him about absolute Omegas: she didn't want to have sex with him- or rather, she was afraid to. Which on the other hand didn't make sense either, because it was something completely normal.   
He pondered this while walking through the house with Julie and stepping into the front yard.   
Well, sex was something completely normal, but maybe she was just afraid of the unknown (him or the act itself?) ... or someone had hurt her. The latter possibility, that someone had dared to hurt his Omega, upset him so much that he got into the car without protest and wordlessly let Emmett put on a stiff belt.

~

Julie couldn't say why Alex suddenly got angry again, so she was quite happy to get out of the car after the short drive to downtown Lightfall. Emmett kept close to Alex's side and turned halfway to Julie as they turned into one of the car-free shopping streets.   
"Barry gave me a pretty long list. Where do we start?"   
"Maybe with the shoes. The ones you gave him are too big. If we go to Milly's afterwards, we can get some basic equipment."   
Alex seemed anything but enthusiastic, but he did not protest further.   
Emmett nodded. "Okay."

Well, Alex's protest started right at the shoes and although he gave Julie deadly stares, he was finally persuaded to accept two simple pairs of everyday shoes.   
At Milly's shop he spent a little eternity discussing the necessity of briefs and the variation of socks, and afterwards he couldn't do much with the principle of trying on anything. The few other customers in the shop took off more or less directly and when he stomped through the shop only in jeans, the last two werewolves, who wanted to get a look at the young Royal, left as well.   
"Why do I need so many of them?", Alex grumbled grumpily at Emmett, who was looking for the right sizes of the few remaining long-sleeved shirts. "And in so many horrible colors, too?" Julie, who was a bit away examining a few basic shirts, bit her lip with a smile. In the pale blue jeans and shirtless he was quite sexy.   
"Because you represent a certain status. One. Two: Things need to be washed. Three: things wear out. Four: Maybe you like one better today and another tomorrow. Five: it makes it easier to combine different outfits, which in turn may better match what your companion is wearing." Emmett caught his breath. "Would you like more reasons?"   
"I hate you," Alex growled and Julie giggled, but fell silent when Alex gave her a wry look. Sexy or not, he was a predator and she was the chosen prey. So as not to look like a scared rabbit, she lifted a T-shirt.   
"Do you like the color?"   
"Looks like dried blood."   
She and Emmett sighed. "This?"   
Simple mottled grey - Alex nodded.   
"What else?"   
"The green- looks like pine needles. And the blue looks like the winter sky. And this is spring green..." He compared each color to something in nature, which was kind of cute, but when Julie, in turn, began to associate the more colorful colors with things in nature, Emmett made an annoyed sound.   
"Stop now, you two. Alex, put on something that fits and you like."   
Alex grumbled, but obeyed.

In a second store, Emmett and Alex lost patience much faster.   
"These things are not meant to flutter around you like you're wrapped in a bedsheet!"   
"But I don't need a second skin!" Alex returned annoyed. "Everything is terribly tight," he grumbled, tugging at his trousers in an exemplary fashion, "I can't move properly with them at all."   
"Of course you can. All other men can as well."   
Julie leaned against the wall and watched them amused.   
"Emmett," Alex then began emphatically, "if I have to shift quickly, I can't spend hours working my way through multiple layers of skin."   
"The situations in which a werewolf must shift so quickly these days, I can count on half a hand." Emmett simply dismissed the argument and Julie suppressed a giggle at Alex's expression. "And when you first walked around for hours in jeans without underwear and got sore skin in places which just shouldn't be sore, you appreciate multiple layers." He crossed his arms over his chest. "And I'm warning you right now, you're gonna be wearing an undershirt at formalwear."   
"Seriously?" Julie asked critically in between before Alex could respond. "Undershirts are totally out of style."   
"Nobody wants to see men's nipples shining through their white shirts. And do you know how painful sore nipples are?"   
In the past she would probably have joked that she could tell him that after the first baby, but this time the joke got stuck in her throat.   
"And anyway, whose side are you on here?" Emmett added with a frown.   
"Her Royals' side," Alex remarked dryly. Emmett resignedly threw his arms in the air.   
"Do whatever you want." He stomped away and while Alex watched him, he scratched himself absent-mindedly over both arms. When Julie looked closer, she discovered a bunch of little red dots.   
"I think the shopping tour is over for the day. It looks like you're reacting to the chemicals in the fabric."


	7. A kiss, no kiss

Loaded with several huge bags and in new clothes Alex finally made his way home. His arms and upper body were itching like crazy and Julie was clearly worried.   
"Julie, hey!"   
"Patrick!"   
Even before Alex had turned around properly, Julie had already run off and thrown herself into the arms of a young man. Irritated, Alex watched the two of them greeting each other with their faces, even though they were human.   
"This is Patrick, Julie's best friend," Emmett said softly beside him. "If you need someone to keep an eye on her because we're both too busy, he's the one."   
"He's just a weak Beta," Alex returned with a frown; no one he would trust with his Omega.   
"He's an outstanding fighter, even as a human."   
Alex snorted, but in that moment Patrick turned to them and his whole attitude spoke of submission, while he had an arm around Julie protectively. Julie mumbled something to him but he shook his head, touched her temple with his mouth and retreated.

Although Alex had taken another shower and smeared something on his skin to relieve the itching, it was still a disgusting feeling. He had put Emmett's old clothes back on because Marge wanted to wash the new ones right away, and entered the kitchen.   
"Is this really necessary? Now of all times?" Julie asked Emmett at that moment. They were both tense. Emmett glanced quickly at Alex and nodded.   
"You know Lester's too old for this and Alex just can't do it yet. I'll be back the day after tomorrow."   
"Where are you going?" Alex immediately asked, sharper than intended, and Julie flinched at his tone of voice.   
"I'm going to one of the neighboring towns," Emmett said in earnest. "Doing business for Barry."   
"Alone?"   
Emmett nodded and Alex frowned. Emmett stepped up to him and put his hands on his shoulders.   
"Calm down, you over-Alpha. I can take care of myself."   
Alex rumbled and Emmett nodded before turning back to Julie.   
"I'll be back the day after tomorrow, okay? Take care of our Royal." He briefly took her in his arms and touched her forehead with his mouth, then he hurried out. Julie watched him unhappily, but quickly turned her attention to Alex.   
"How does your skin feel?"   
"It's not like I fell into an anthill anymore."   
"Good." She nodded briefly. "You should reapply the gel before bed."   
Now it was him who nodded.   
"I think Barry wanted to talk to you about some things..."   
He nodded again.

~

Barry knocked on the open room door before he came in.   
"I spoke to Alex. About some kind of plan for the future."   
"How do you imagine it?" Julie wanted to know, and rose from her desk. Barry sighed and rubbed his neck.   
"Emmett and Lester will teach him in the mornings. In this time, you can go back to work if you want to. In the afternoons, either I'll take care of him or you do, depending on how much time I have. He can read a little, but he can't write, just for an example."   
Julie nodded.   
"Let Emmett go with him for now if he wants to go for a run. And not too far from the house."   
She nodded again and half-grabbed her cell phone to write a message to Emmett as Barry critically examined her.   
"Do you remember what I've been telling you over and over for the past few years?"   
She lowered her eyes; Barry had told her all kinds of things over and over again, but she knew what he was getting at.   
"Your Royal is not your brother. Don't even start treating him like one," Barry said, when she didn't answer.   
"I know, Barry," she said softly.   
"Pull yourself together, Julie. Alex is not half as wild as I first feared."   
"Now that Emmett and I are bound to him, his alpha instincts are kicking in. He's-"   
"You have to guide him and his instincts in the right direction. I can't use an unbalanced pup."   
"Yes, Barry," she murmured softly and nodded with lowered eyes. He went out, but stopped in the hall and sighed.   
"Julie..."   
She looked up. He had reached out a hand to her and so she went to him and let him hug her.   
"Good night, little one."   
"Good night." She gave him a kiss on the cheek, he tousled her hair and walked away, nodding to Alex who was halfway through the bathroom door. Julie sighed and looked at Alex, who first glanced at her thoughtfully and then took the few steps over to her.   
"What did you just do?" he asked.   
"What do you mean?"   
"That." He tapped his cheek and she frowned.   
"What... Wait, don't tell me you don't know what a kiss is?"   
He shrugged. "Wolves greet each other with their snouts."   
She couldn't think of an answer that quickly and she rubbed her forehead. "Oh dear..." If he didn't know kissing, did he even know how to have sex as a human being? The question made her shudder and with a skeptical frown she looked at him; he was still standing there waiting.   
"There are different kinds of kisses," she finally said slowly. "Kisses on the cheek, for example, are a greeting among friends or a reinforcement for a _thank you_. From younger to older- as just now with Barry- it is a sign of affection. Conversely, there is often a kiss on the forehead - from parents to children, from older siblings to younger ones."   
"Just like Emmett did earlier, in the kitchen," Alex threw in and she nodded.   
"It symbolizes something like a _'trust me, I'll take care of you'_ and is also used as such in a relationship, traditionally from man to woman."   
"Why?"   
"Um... well... that's just the way it is..." Hesitantly, she stepped right in front of him and looked up at him, he was a good deal taller than she was. "It's no effort at all for you to kiss me on the forehead, is it?"   
"No." Promptly he bent forward and clumsily imitated the gesture. "It's weird without a snout," he murmured and she had to smile. Nevertheless, she took a step back again.   
"And... there's the kisses on the mouth. For couples."   
Alex frowned.   
"In a relationship, kisses can be anything from a simple greeting to, um... well. An expression of sensuality. As part of sex." He still seemed a little confused, so she added: "Tail wagging is not the same as tail wagging."   
"No..." he admitted and tilted his head a little. "May I kiss you?"   
"You have every right to do so," she replied softly and actually flinched as he rumbled.   
"I never want to hear that again."   
"But I am yours," she whispered, though she didn't want to. She didn't want to encourage him to hurt her.   
"You are my Omega, that's right"- his human voice was accompanied by an eerie rumble- "but I will not take anything you refuse to give me." That reassured her a lot. And since Barry had just admonished her, she shyly said:   
"You may kiss me." To her surprise, however, he pressed another kiss on her forehead.   
"Good night, Julie."   
A cautious smile flitted across her face and she breathed a kiss on his cheek. "Good night, Alex."

~

Alex rumbled softly as Emmett sat down next to him on one of the thick cushions in the sun.   
"Food will be ready soon."   
Alex nodded.   
"What did you guys do while I was gone?"   
"Julie tried to teach me to write."   
"Ah." That's all Emmett said, but Alex was sure Julie would tell him about it later; he still felt stupid. "What else?"   
"She's still afraid of me," Alex sighed and glanced at Emmett. "I told her I don't just take anything."   
Emmett nodded. "Good."   
"Has anyone ever hurt her?"   
Irritated, Emmett looked at him. "No. Give her some time."   
Alex nodded thoughtfully, but then Emmett sighed.   
"I really hope she doesn't work herself up into this. Into thinking that you're gonna hurt her or whatever."   
"Shouldn't she feel safe with me?"   
"Well, I hope that feeling reaches to her soon."   
They kept quiet for a while and Alex actually got hungry; regular meals were a fine thing.   
"Do you even want to sleep with her?" Emmett then asked in a tone of voice Alex couldn't interpret. Skeptical, perhaps? He shrugged.   
"It's a strange thought that this is supposed to be her job. I mean, what does she get out of it?"   
Emmett looked at him confused. "This... is simply what she was born to do. That's what an absolute Omega is for."   
"Maybe, but she didn't choose it."   
"You didn't choose to be a Royal, but you are one and will lead us one day."   
"But I'm not forced to submit completely to the will of another."   
Emmett made a strange sound, almost like a laugh. "Perhaps you should discuss this with other Royals. But that doesn't answer my question, unless it was a complicated _no_."   
Alex got by now that nudity and sex were private matters for humans and that his new family had a different view on things than he did, but he still shrugged. "She's pretty. If she wants me, I'll do it."   
"You make it sound like it's your duty," Emmett remarked mockingly, and again Alex shrugged.   
"Isn't that what everyone expects of me?"   
Sighing, Emmett rubbed his face with both hands. "Oh, goodness... How does that sort of thing work in the pack?"   
"If you have no mate, you can sleep with whoever you like," was the simple answer. "In spring, we met the North Wind Pack, and in autumn, the Sandy Paws. We each traveled about a week together, and in that time almost everyone had a lot of sex."   
"Oh," made Emmett reluctant and nodded, but then he suddenly seemed alarmed. "In wolf form?"   
"Yeah. Shifts are part of it, but I've only met one female who preferred the human form." In return Alex got a deadly serious look and he promptly ducked his head.   
"Omegas..." Emmett started, but then broke off and rubbed his face again. "Oh, damn. In urban environments, Omegas often have the problem of not finding to their wolf form on their own. They need their mate to help them shift. And absolute Omegas don't have a mate. Julie will never, ever undergo a shift."   
Now it was Alex who made a surprise "oh"before asking: "They... they have no mate because... so they serve only their Royal?"   
"Exactly."   
Slowly Alex pulled his knees to his chest and put his chin on top of it, his arms wrapped around his legs. "That must be awful," he murmured. "To know that you will never find a mate."   
Emmett took a breath, but said nothing, and before the silence could become uncomfortable, Julie came around a corner.   
"Hey, guys. Food's ready."   
"Okay." Emmett jumped up immediately and Alex followed them slowly. A little unhappy, he pulled his shoulders up as Julie put an arm around Emmett and muttered something to him.   
Much more than sleeping with her, he wanted her to come to him and nestle in his arms because she found safety and peace there. He wanted her to fall asleep next to him, knowing that he would protect her.   
But all he could get for the moment was the cautious smile she was giving him as he entered the kitchen.


	8. Pack within the pack

Six weeks passed and a certain routine was established. Julie had breakfast with Emmett and Alex and got a kiss on the forehead from her Royal before she headed off to her half-day job in the bookstore. While she was working, Alex took lessons from Emmett and Lester, and when she came back, he was waiting for her at the front door. Sometimes, she thought, all that was missing was the wagging tail, but he had his shiftings surprisingly well under control. After lunch with the two and Marge and Damien, she practiced reading, writing or just being human with Alex, or Barry came and the two of them had Royal conversations. After dinner, Alex and Emmett would often roam around as wolves, and Alex would drink Emmett's blood once a week; he had refused Julie's blood when she offered it to him, and strangely, she could not bring herself to approach him a second time.

When Julie came home that Friday, Alex was not waiting for her. The big house was quiet and she almost felt like an intruder.   
"Emmett?"   
No answer.   
"Alex?"   
Silence.   
She looked in the kitchen and found a note from Marge saying there was pasta sauce in the fridge and she and Damien were going to be back late. She shrugged and put her bag in her room and then peeked into Alex's rooms. His living room was, as always, completely untouched, his study he only entered with Julie and his bedroom was a mess of clothes. However, his patio door was open and quietly she heard Emmett say:   
"They didn't treat you right."   
"I know," Alex returned. "But I miss them anyway. As long as Rick was peaceful, I was just a simple wolf in the middle of the pack."   
"So it's not the _Rustling Leaves_ themselves you miss, it's the pack feeling," Emmett elaborated, and after a moment, Alex made a consenting sound. He still had difficulty putting his feelings and thoughts into words. Julie hesitated, but then she stepped outside - after all, she was part of the pack. Immediately Alex, who was sitting on a thick cushion and leaning against the wall of the house, looked up. He seemed unhappy and somehow lonely, and Emmett instinctively was right next to him. Julie sat down on the other side next to Alex at the edge of his pillow and he wrapped an arm around her before pressing his scratchy cheek against her temple for a brief moment - shaving was not his strong point.   
"Say, Julie," Emmett then started thinking, "what do you think about inviting the boys?"   
"All of them?" she asked back and leaned against Alex a little; by now his casual closeness was at least pleasant.   
"The usual suspects."   
She nodded thoughtfully. "For tomorrow night? Hmm. Why not."   
"What boys?" Alex asked suspiciously.   
"Julie's boys." Emmett smiled and over Alex, she slapped him a little.   
"Friends of Emmett and me," she replied, giving Alex an encouraging smile.

~

The six werewolves and a human woman had been in the house for a while, but Alex was nervous. He didn't really know why, if he was to be honest, but the resulting silence when he finally entered the dining room didn't make it any better. Everyone was sitting around the big table playing cards.   
"Hi," the young woman was the first to say, and then she tilted her head a little. Glasses with a wide turquoise rim dominated her narrow face and Alex was stunned when he noticed her strong beta aura. Julie stood up and smiled broadly at Alex.   
"This is Alexandra, my best friend."   
Alexandra nodded and gave him an unimpressed sassy grin. Then Julie put one hand on Patrick's shoulder.   
"You already know Patrick."   
The weak beta nodded and Alex nodded back; Patrick's dark hair and dark eyes contrasted sharply with his pale skin.   
"Eric," Julie went on and put her hand briefly on the shoulder of the guy next to her, also a weak beta. Eric had strange grayish blond hair and cold gray eyes, he looked small and stocky but uncomfortably dangerous. He also nodded at Alex in an appreciative manner and Alex nodded back - the dangerous aura disappeared.   
"Andy." Julie fluffed a redhead through his tousled hair, who commented with a playful rumble. He was full of freckles and his blue eyes glowed with joy; his beta signature was much stronger than Patrick's or Eric's. His polite nod carried a playful challenge and Alex was willing to accept it.   
"Raj." An average beta with dark skin and sharp features; he seemed cautious and Julie didn't touch him either.   
"Garrett." A strong beta with skin in the color of Marge's milky morning-coffee, his hair cropped short and a thin red scar running across his cheeks and nose - there were only few things leaving scars on a werewolf and Alex felt an urgent need to test what a fighter Garrett was. Garrett touched Julie's hand on his shoulder with his fingertips before nodding to Alex.   
"And Chris." A beta whose strength scratched an alpha, but the young man with the golden eyes made no attempt to challenge Alex in any way, but nodded to him slowly and surrendering. Alex had no idea what was expected of him, so he looked at Emmett.   
"Sit down," he said promptly. "I know you don't know anything about the game, but it doesn't matter."   
"Besides, Julie and Alex were just waiting for you and now they can finally get the snacks ready," Andy said happily.   
"Asshole," Alexandra said angrily and gave him the middle finger just to get an air kiss back.   
"Greedy something," Julie said, but sounded much more loving. Nevertheless, Alexandra stood up and the two women disappeared into the kitchen. Reluctantly, Alex sat down between Emmett and Eric.

It did not take long and Alex relaxed. These were werewolves that not only posed no threat, but were part of his pack, and were so clearly attached to his Beta and Omega that he couldn't help but accept them as part of his immediate environment. Alexandra stood her ground between the werewolves with her quick and sharp tongue and seemed to take no notice of the fact that Alex was a Royal. The human woman and Julie brought snacks and drinks and then ordered a huge amount of pizza under the excited shouts of the others.

"What exactly is your job?" Alex asked Eric after the excitement subsided. The question was a bit clumsy, but Alex had no idea how to ask it better. Eric looked up from his cards.   
"I work in the hospital lab with Alex." Before Alex could say anything, Eric threw his cards on the table. "Shit, ey!" Alex got an apologetic look. "Sorry. Well, whatever." Eric shrugged and Alex gave a simple nod, then Eric pointed his head at Patrick. "Patrick's got a pretty boring office job at the Town Hall-"   
"Hey, it's not that boring!"   
"-and looks after the older pups in the afternoons."   
"Yeah..." Patrick said, slightly absent, playing a card. "Summer camp at the lake starts next week and I'll be away four weeks straight."   
"What a loss," Garrett sneered, Patrick snorted.   
"Andy's a software engineer at the hospital, Raj is a medical student at Whitehill, Garrett's a cop, and Chris is on the mayor's security detail," Eric continued undeterred and Alex nodded.   
"Did you get your scar on duty?" he asked Garrett and got a nod.   
"There are always some who think they are above the law."   
"But you, of course, are on the front line as a guardian of the law," Patrick mocked back and Garrett touched his scar.   
"As you can see... "

The pizza arrived, they ate and talked and laughed. At some point the group broke up into smaller one-on-one conversations and eventually Alex and Eric leaned against the counter in the kitchen, holding a glass of sweet stuff in their hands.   
"How is it that everyone acts as if Julie was the Alpha here?" he wanted to know and Eric laughed quietly while he poured anew various things into his glass.   
"Julie just has a talent for making us feel protective."   
"Really?"   
"No." Eric got serious again. "Andy and I are just friends with her, but Patrick, for example, is different. He's one of those guys who had a really shitty childhood. He's not from Lightfall, you know, and he came to us as a new kid in class, back in middle school. For three weeks he drove everyone to the brink of despair with his wild, almost aggressive manner. Then a teacher placed Julie next to him for a project, and since then he's been as meek as a lamb and totally devoted to her."   
Alex looked stunned at Eric, but he just shrugged.   
"It was similar with Garrett. He, Chris, Emmett and Raj were a year over us and we never had much to do with them, except for the connection between Emmett and Julie," Eric continued, stirring his drink. For a moment, he seemed lost in thought, then he twitched his eyebrows suggestively. "Nomads killed Garrett's family. His parents and younger siblings. He witnessed it, hiding in the garden pond. A few months later, at the summer camp Patrick mentioned, he almost went nuts. Almost became a rogue all of a sudden, and Chris and Raj had to hold him down until Emmett got Julie from the other side of the lake from the girls' camp." Once again, Eric shrugged and took a big gulp. Alex stared at him in amazement. That was actually possible? Eric indicated a smile and twitched his eyebrows.   
"That's not something we really talk about, though - it's just a thing of the past."   
Slowly Alex nodded, but before he could say anything, Emmett and Andy walked in, engaged in a heated discussion.

~

Julie enjoyed the evening very much and was deeply relieved that Alex more or less got along with the others. He talked to Eric and Patrick and when Julie joined the others in the living room, he was sitting on the couch, watching the action. The action was another card game, but Julie, who had cleaned up the dining room in the meantime, didn't notice much of it, because Alexandra pulled her by the arm aside.   
"Hey, listen. Garrett and Patrick are about to blow up," she muttered forcefully and Julie turned her head. She knew them both well enough to know that Alexandra was right. "Emmett just shrugged," she added and Julie sighed.   
"He'll want Alex to keep the situation under control."   
"Can he?" Alexandra asked skeptically and both women looked at Alex; meanwhile, on the other side of the couch sat Raj, who apparently had left the game as quickly as possible.   
"Not in that form," Julie said softly, and Alexandra nodded.   
"Then I'm going to leave now. Quietly." She squeezed Julie's arm and left as if she was just going to the bathroom. Just as calmly, Julie let herself fall on the couch next to Alex.   
"Hey, you..."   
"Hey..." Questioningly he looked at her and she leaned on his shoulder.   
"Do you notice anything about the guys?"   
A frown appeared on his face and she watched it while he examined the others. His ears and lips twitched before he said quietly:   
"Garrett and Patrick will probably be fighting soon."   
"Right. It's your job"- she tapped him on the shoulder meaningfully - "to make sure it's going in the right direction."   
He hesitated and looked at her unsteadily. "What's the best way to do it?"   
Julie wasn't quite sure either, but still she said: "Why don't you ask who'll go out into the garden with you?"   
Again, Alex took his time with a reply. "They're waiting for me to do something like that, aren't they?"   
"I think so, yes."   
He nodded thoughtfully and gave Julie a brief smile before getting up and strolling to the table. There he stopped for a moment, one hand on the back of Andy's chair.   
"Is anyone coming out?" He waited just long enough for the question to get through to everyone, before turning away and demonstratively pulling the T-shirt over his head as he walked. Amused, Julie watched the others jump up in a sudden hurry, then left the living room.

When Julie woke up in the morning, the smell of several wolves was hanging heavy in the air, Alex's scent was clearly prominent. She got dressed and tiptoed past Alex's room door and into the kitchen, where she had a quick breakfast and then took a look into the living room. There all their clothes were still lying around chaotically. She couldn't imagine the boys sleeping outside in the garden, so she went back to Alex's bedroom and took a look inside.   
Eight wolves lay in a wild furry ball on the bed, the mess blurred into a huge patch of different shades of brown. She could only spot Alex, flanked by Emmett and a wolf she thought she recognized as Garrett. Alex had to exert a strong influence on them, because most of the urban werewolves shifted back into humans in their sleep. Just at this thought Alex's ears twitched and he raised his head. Quickly, she put a finger to her lips and retreated.

~

Alex enjoyed the closeness and the warmth of his pack, because yes, these males now belonged to him. He wasn't sure how far they would go against Barry if the Royal and his heir were to split, but he wasn't going to let that happen either.   
With a distinct knock Julie came back and pushed a laundry basket through the open door with the others' clothes, whereupon Alex shifted back.   
"Good morning," Julie said with a smile. "If you promise to come over as soon as you can, I'll make you breakfast."   
He nodded and shook Garrett, who shifted back slowly and still asleep, by the shoulder. Julie closed the door behind her and Alex climbed over Garrett and Raj to grab a pair of underpants from the closet - the others would be sorting the laundry basket though.   
"I haven't slept that well in a long time," Chris murmured sleepily and Alex grinned.   
"A real wolf is never alone."   
"If you had a mate, you'd sleep well _most_ of the time," Andy remarked dryly and Chris growled at him, Alex lost his grin.   
"I want to see the wolf who sleeps in the same bed with his Royal and still has nightmares," Garrett said mockingly, nodding barely noticeably at Alex.   
Alex nodded back just as slightly. Garrett had earned his trust in the hours of wild play outside in the garden in a way that couldn't be put into human words.   
"Hey, those are my briefs!" Patrick protested at that moment and Emmett snorted:   
"I guess I know my own underwear."   
"I smell breakfast!" Eric exclaimed enthusiastically, and Alex could actually smell fried bacon and eggs.   
The only thing missing for his happiness at that moment was a mate.   
"First!" Chris shouted and smacked the door frame with his flat hand before running outside.   
"Hey!," came a polyphonic protest and Alex laughed softly as he quickly threw on a shirt.   
Maybe in this bunch of big pups he didn't even need a mate to be happy.


	9. The Heir

"Have you thought about a name, like I told you?" Barry asked seriously and Alex nodded nervously. Although he now spent almost daily more or less time with Barry in his study, the dark room did not suit him. The rest of the house was bright and light, but this room was full of dark furniture, crammed with memorabilia between filing cabinets and bookcases, and Barry's smell hung heavy in the air; all of which made Alex feel like a clumsy pup.   
"Well?" Barry followed up when Alex didn't answer.   
"Alexander Berry," Alex said softly, and ducked his head when Barry raised his eyebrows in surprise.   
"An interesting choice."   
"You said we must remember our origins, and you gave me a home and a family," Alex explained cautiously, relieved to see a warm smile on Barry's face.   
"I think everyone is getting the message."   
Emmett had also explained to him that it was better to extend his first name so that the short form was reserved for family and friends. In a few days, he and Barry would sign some papers, Emmett and Julie would change their last names from Brick to Berry, and he would officially be the heir to the Lightfall pack. But first he'd have to present himself to the city council.   
"Good, good," Barry said after a moment's reflection and nodded before getting up. "You have about two hours before we leave for the town hall. Emmett knows what to do."   
"He's coming with us, isn't he?" Alex hated himself for sounding so intimidated.   
"Of course." Barry nodded. "I told you, Emmett can be whatever you want him to be. Right now you need him to be your teacher and counselor and secretary and assistant. It's not for me to send him away unless it's Royal business. However, if in a few years' time you feel you need him elsewhere, you can always give other people those positions."   
That reassured Alex immensely and he nodded. "Thank you."   
"You don't have to thank me. I run the town and the pack as I see fit - within the general rules and laws, of course. And in a few years, you'll have to find your own course." Barry paused and tilted his head a little. "We've waited a long time for you, and I think you realize you're different from what we expected."   
Alex nodded simply.   
"One day, when you meet your heir, you may have to let go of your expectations as well, who knows?" Once more Barry paused and seemed to hesitate, while Alex remained motionless in his chair.   
"A reigning Royal has the right to kill free Royals," Barry finally said slowly, and Alex nodded slightly. "For this, he may have to answer to a larger council, depending upon the circumstances, but this must be considered individually. A reigning Royal can also kill his heir if the heir holds values and attitudes that completely contradict his own. This is a decision that can only be questioned if it harms the pack or the town."   
Alex nodded again.   
"You're a good boy, Alex, better than many Alphas I've met in my long life, and even better than many Royals. It may sound strange, but that's honestly how I feel."   
Surprised by this unusual emotional emphasis, Alex tilted his head.   
"I mean," Barry went on, unmoved, "that I share your thinking. My world and my values have changed over the years, you see? But you had no real education, not as a future leader, and you trust your instincts, which are as pure as they can be. This has been lost to many urban werewolves- of whatever rank- and where a Royal or a good Alpha is or was missing, they have often blended in with human perception. Hold on to those instincts and values, Alex. Lightfall will thank you for it."   
Alex nodded nervously and sucked his lower lip uncertainly for a moment, but before he could say anything, Barry spoke up again.   
"There's something else we need to discuss, but it can wait till this afternoon when we get back."   
"All right," Alex said softly and rose.

In his bedroom was Emmett already waiting, critically distorting his face as he entered.   
"What?" Alex asked with a frown and stopped.   
"Undress."   
Alex rolled his eyes, but he obeyed. Talking back to Emmett was rarely a good idea.   
"You're gonna shave and then you're gonna shower."   
"I shaved before breakfast," Alex grumbled, touching his cheek.   
"I'm not talking about your face." Emmett replied and raised an eyebrow before he came closer. "People don't like it when werewolves smell even worse than they naturally do." He tapped Alex half in the armpit. "And I've been told that women don't like thickets." He pointed down and Alex sighed.   
"Nature gave us hair, so why does everyone want it gone?"   
"Aesthetics. Hygiene. Personal preference," Emmett counted objectively, then shrugged. "As I said, I don't care, but I highly doubt that a woman would give you a blow job full of enthusiasm if she had to worry about pulling hair out of her mouth half the time."   
Alex sighed again. "It's okay, I got it." He didn't expect Julie to do it voluntarily in the near future, but then again, he didn't care much for his own looks, and if she liked him better with blue hair, he'd dye it as well, so he just gave in.

~

Their steps echoed in the high corridors and if Alex was honest, he didn't feel comfortable here. The white walls were repeatedly interrupted by doors; behind some of them muffled voices could be heard, somewhere some device rattled. Then they turned a corner and he almost got out of step with surprise. At the end of the corridor there was a huge double door with figures carved in the wood. In the middle of it was a wolf, standing upright on his hind legs, shaking the hand of a human, and all around it seemed to be similar scenes, but a "Good morning, sir" directed his gaze to the two men in jet-black suits standing to the left and right of the door. One of them was Chris.   
"Mayor Brick," he said earnestly, and then the two men pulled open the door in practiced synchrony.

The smell caught Alex off guard. Nine Alphas and three strong Betas waited in the conference room and he almost slapped Emmett's hand aside as he touched his arm soothingly.   
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen," Barry said sternly, clapping the documents he had brought with him on the large table.   
"Good morning, sir.", "Good morning, Mayor.", were the answers of the - as Alex now realized - six werewolves and six humans. The three Betas were females- two of them human- and Alex felt a tremor running down his body as he looked at the Alpha males one by one. His nostrils fluttered, his hands clenched in fists shook, his spine-   
"Alex!", Emmett hissed warningly, and he rumbled, deep and throaty, a sound a human shouldn't be able to produce. He slit his tongue on teeth that were much too sharp and felt Emmett's hand on his chest before his Beta filled his field of vision and growled at him.   
"Oh my goodness, kid, calm down," said the female werewolf slightly annoyed and Alex simply pushed Emmett aside to give her a personal growl. "Shall we all present our bellies and throats?" she asked with a raised eyebrow and Barry growled:   
"That won't be necessary."   
The aura of his Alpha, his Royal, hit Alex like a slap in the face and he took a step back.   
"Alex, this is the City Council. Six werewolves, six humans, as is the tradition," Barry said, nodding briefly as Alex looked at him. He still had the feeling that all twelve were doubting his rank, but he nodded back just a little; Emmett next to him seemed to calm down.   
"Dear Council, this is Alexander Berry, my rightful heir." Plain and simple.   
Alex straightened his shoulders and narrowed his brows a little while he endured the prying eyes with newly growing fighting instinct.   
"Nice to finally meet you, Mr. Berry," said one of the human councilors, and the tension disappeared from the air when all twelve accepted him with a nod or a smile. Suddenly he felt ten kilos lighter and Emmett actually gave a relieved sigh. He caught Lester's encouraging smile and forced himself to put on a smile as well, but he had no idea what to say.   
"Good morning," he finally said in a somewhat silly voice, squinting at Barry, who nodded barely noticeably.   
"Well, let us at last address the question of whether or not the Northeast needs another elementary school."

In preparation for this council meeting, Emmet and Julie had tried to explain the school system to Alex, but his understanding stopped already with the fact that you should go to school for _12_ damn years.   
When they took a first break after three hours of sober fact-finding, Alex longed to get back to the woods. He had no idea how he was supposed to stand this for the next three hundred plus x years.


	10. A bloody Kiss

Alex was damn good-looking, Julie had to give him that. Even though he made a face as if he would rather be somewhere else and especially in different clothes, but hey... black jeans, white shirt - the latter half unbuttoned. The jacket was hanging over the back of his office chair and the shoes were already lying in a corner.   
Emmett stood next to him, also still in his business outfit, with his arms crossed in front of his chest; he gave Julie a strange smile.   
She frowned a little, for she had no idea why they were gathering in Alex's study. But before she could ask the boys, Barry stepped in with a flourish and closed the door behind him, his expression a little darker than Julie would want.

"All right," he began bluntly. "Who can explain to me why my heir is so unbalanced and subliminally aggressive right now?"   
Julie looked at Alex, who frowned minimally, and then at Emmett, who frowned very distinctly. They were both silent, so she said softly: "He refused to drink my blood."   
"Why?" Barry wanted to know seriously and Alex replied, scarcely louder than Julie:   
"I don't want to hurt her."   
Barry snorted. "You need the blood, boy. They may not realize it yet, but your little performance earlier was indication enough: in two weeks at the latest you'll have a serious problem. And then another one _with me_."   
Julie looked insecure at Barry, who had angrily narrowed his brows.   
"I told you about the blood bond," Emmett began cautiously, but broke off when Barry's gaze struck him.   
"Yes, you did. And I told you it was okay to wait a week or two until Alex got used to blood in general. But we're talking about almost two _months_ now." His eyes went from one to the other. "You all have duties and responsibilities and you're all adults. I don't want to have to remind you again."   
"Yes, Barry," Julie said softly.   
"Of course." Emmett nodded seriously and Alex made an unhappy face, but nodded.   
Barry walked out with long strides and Julie pulled her shoulders up before looking at Alex. She hoped he wouldn't overreact as strangely as he did while creating the blood bond- and she saw the same hope on his face.

~

"Hey... um... Alex, you really should call Julie and get this thing done or Barry will have a fit in the morning." Emmett actually seemed concerned and Alex nodded.   
"I know." And he also knew he was putting it off, but Julie's worried scent was in the air and it was making his skin tingle. He didn't want to hurt her, didn't want to do anything she wasn't ready to do.   
Emmett nodded thoughtfully. "Do you want me to stay on?"   
"No." A little too fast and a little too sharp. Alex shook his head and smiled carefully; Emmett nodded again.   
"Okay, suit yourself. Good night."   
"Good night."

Oddly nervous, Alex wiped his hands on his shorts and knocked. At this time of day, he couldn't stand being dressed in normal clothes anymore and he slept naked, but for Julie's sake, he had put on what Emmett had presented to him at one point as sleeping clothes. He didn't want to frighten her by giving her the wrong impression.   
"Come in."   
Slowly he entered her room and closed the door behind him. "Hey..." he said softly.   
"Hey." she returned. She was tense- he could not only smell it, but also see it on her muscles thanks to the tight shorts and sleeveless shirt. Wordlessly, she stretched out half her arm, her wrist turned upwards, but he shook his head.   
"Not like that."   
She frowned in irritation. "But?"   
He wanted her to relax, to feel comfortable, not to perceive him as a threat or a cruel master. So he pointed to the bed. "Can I hold you a little?" Even in his ears the question sounded strange and Julie seemed confused for a moment, but then she smiled shyly and nodded.

Julie's bed was not as big as his own, but it was much bigger than Emmett's. They sat about in the middle and Alex held her in his arms, she leaned her back against him and he buried his nose in her hair. He could still smell the shampoo she had used in the morning, her deodorant and the stuff she had used to wash off her daytime makeup. He smelled her honey and strawberry scent, the signature of an omega wolf, attenuated by her special condition, and the faint smell of a woman. And because he did nothing more than hold her gently, she finally relaxed - exactly what he wanted.

Gently he took her hand, bent her arm carefully towards him and pressed his lips into her palm. Immediately she tensed again, but differently than before. He kissed her wrist and some instinct told him that this was the wrong place, so he pressed his lips into the crook of her arm- still wrong. His lips brushed against her bare shoulder and stopped at her neck - perfect. He licked above her pulse and felt his fangs coming out; Julie's hand twitched in his and she breathed a little faster- her excitement was different than his, though.   
His other hand was still over her navel and he had to pull himself together not to grab her chin or her hair. She felt it, had to feel it, his urge to curl up around her and never let go.   
His teeth sank into her neck and as the hot sweet blood filled his mouth, he wondered what it must be like to enter her elsewhere at the same time. At the thought his lips opened a little and blood ran down her neck, she took a shaky breath and gasped softly as he sucked on her again.

A little more, just a little more...   
"Stop..." she whispered strained. "Alex, stop..."   
Sweet and sharp and metallic and good...   
"Stop it!" She tore herself away from him and he opened his eyes in surprise. Blood spurted from the wound on her neck, dripping from his mouth, sullying them both and the bed. It was the fear in her eyes that almost instantly killed his throbbing excitement. He swallowed heavily and suddenly the blood tasted disgusting; his fangs receded.   
"I'm sorry," he whispered and watched in relief as her wound began to close.   
"You can't control yourself," she said and her lower lip trembled.   
"I'm-I'm sorry, Julie, really, I don't know what-"  
"Go away!"

~

Julie was woken by a strange noise, like a scratching at the door. With a soft moan she sat up; her neck felt strange. The weird scratching was repeated and tiredly she swung her legs out of bed. She almost tripped over the pile of blood-spattered bedding she had left lying there, rubbing her face as she walked to the door. The smell of blood stung her nose, but too strong to come from the blood splashes alone; she had washed herself and put on fresh clothes. When she opened the door, however, she saw the reason - and with an outcry she backed away.   
The hallway in front of her door was littered with dead animals- rabbits, moles, even a fox- and creepily garnished with flowers. In the middle lay a bright wolf, pressed flat on its belly, its snout on its paws and wagging its tail. She pressed a hand to her mouth so that she wouldn't- horrified as she was- yell at Alex.   
"What the hell's going on?" Emmett asked and stumbled into the hallway. "Oh."   
She looked at him, saw the disgust on his face.   
"Oh, my Goodness... Alex, what... what did you do? What is this?"   
Alex had stopped wagging his tail and was now howling softly, obviously disappointed with the reaction. Slowly nausea crept into Julie's stomach.   
"Julie, what happened?" Emmett then asked her and she shrugged half-heartedly.   
"He loses control when he drinks my blood..." She sounded much calmer than she had felt at that moment, and Emmett looked at her critically. He ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head, but at that moment, Barry came around the corner- also wearing only pajamas- and paused in surprise.  
Alex whimpered softly.   
"Julie, are you okay?"   
"Yes, I'm fine."   
"Did he drink your blood?"   
"Yes."   
"Alex, we need to talk." Calmly and objectively.   
Alex whimpered again, yelping and making a lot of soft sounds for which Julie had no name.   
"Now, Alex."  
A soft howl.   
_"Now!"_   
Alex made a pitiful sound and Barry stomped over to him, ignoring the dead animals and flowers and grabbed Alex by the neck. The tortured whimpering hurt Julie's soul, and when the animal sound became human, it nearly broke her heart. But even Barry could not force a complete shift, for Alex kept wolf's tail and ears and stood swaying in the midst of the chaos.   
She wrapped her arms around herself and bit her lip when she met Alex's gaze. He had wanted to apologize - wolf style.

~

Alex couldn't look Barry in the eyes and sat in the visitors’ chair like a picture of misery; his naked skin stuck to the thick leather. After finding his human voice again, he had explained as best he could what had happened, how he had felt- and Barry was silent. Alex was unable to make ears or tail disappear and seriously wondered if he was even worthy of being a Royal after this disaster. How should he ever lead a pack, a whole town?

"Alex."   
He looked up. Barry had put his fingertips together and seemed... depressed?   
"There are not many possible explanations for what is happening here right now." He paused and Alex ducked his head even further.   
"Yes?"   
"The most likely scenario is that sooner or later you kill Julie in a blood frenzy."   
Perplexed, Alex looked at Barry.   
"It happens. Not often, but it happens. Some absolute Omegas have a strong effect and considering how males like Garrett or Patrick react to Julie, I should have expected it." Barry sighed and his eyebrows twitched. "Next week you will drink Julie's blood under supervision. If that doesn't work either, we'll have recourse to technical assistance, because I won't let you kill her by mistake."   
"No, I-"   
"I further encourage you to actively search for a mate."   
"But I-"   
"Every Royal has an Omega, and even if you don't want to be, you _are_ a danger to her."   
Alex was slumping down. "I'm sorry."   
"It's not your fault, Alex," Barry said, and after his harsh speech, his words were much gentler now. "I know you don't want to hurt her, but your instincts are stronger than you. And yes, I know I appreciated those same instincts before, but in this case..." He sighed. "Of course... I could watch you kill her and get a new Omega. I could do it myself, as a kind of mercy. But either way, this family would break apart afterwards and I honestly don't know how the rest of the pack would react to such cruelty. So... pull yourself together, okay?"   
Alex nodded silently, his ears twitched.   
"Oh and if your wolf should get the idea to apologize in his own way again: please leave Damian's flowers in the garden. Julie loves flowers, but Damian's harangue is quite something."   
"Thanks Barry, for understanding." Alex whispered and with a squelching sound detached himself from the leather chair.   
"Get some clothes on, boy. Royal or not, but in this house, we wear clothes, not fur."   
"Yes, Barry." Alex nodded weakly and went- still with his ears and tail drooping- towards the door.


	11. A Guest for the Night

"Emmett?"   
"Hmm?"   
"How do I find a mate?"   
Emmett looked up from his phone and stared confused at Alex. "Besides I'm definitely the wrong person to ask... um... go out and meet women?" He shrugged and Alex sighed.   
"Barry wants me to find a mate, but I have no idea how to do that. I don't even know how I'll know I've found her."   
"But nomadic wolves have mates, don't they?"   
"Yes, but not necessarily." Now it was Alex who shrugged. "We are few in number and rarely encounter other packs or urban wolves."   
"Hmm," Emmett thoughtfully chewed his lip. "You know what, I'm gonna ask the boys if we can have a barbecue. Just us guys. Patrick's not here and Chris doesn't have a mate, but hey, they're better advisors on that subject than I am."   
"Sounds good," Alex returned and nodded.   
"Okay, then it's settled. I'll write in- wait. Hey, Barry." Emmett pressed the phone to his ear and frowned. He just listened and Alex raised an eyebrow. He found it fascinating how differently the others reacted to this stupid phone; for while Emmett seemed to freeze, Julie almost nervously started pacing up and down, Marge was gesturing wildly even though her call partner didn't see it anyway, and Tiffany- who had been talking annoyingly often in the garden lately- grinned stupidly most of the time.   
"Okay, chop-chop, get dressed," Emmett suddenly turned to Alex and jumped off the kitchen chair.  
"I'm-"   
"Town hall clothes. You've got some documents to take care of." Into Emmett's sentence, Julie rushed in.   
"Did you hear? We have guests for dinner." Without giving Alex or Emmett another look, she tore open the refrigerator and inspected its contents.   
"Who?" Emmett asked in surprise.   
"Allison."   
"Oh."   
And Alex didn't like that _oh_ one bit.

"Who is Allison, by the way?" Alex casually asked later and tried to hang his jacket neatly on the hanger.   
"Well," Emmett muttered, and pushed the new documents absolutely unnecessarily back and forth on Alex's desk.   
"Don't I get any warning at all?" He looked at Emmett critically, but he avoided his gaze.   
"You'll see for yourself..."   
"That's not very nice of you." A very subtle rumble mixed into Alex's voice and Emmett straightened up.   
"Allison's a Royal and-"   
"A Royal? A female Royal?" Alex interrupted him in amazement and stopped fiddling with the awful little buttons on his shirt. For all he knew, out of ten Royals, only one was female, if at all.   
"Yes, a female Royal..." Still uncomfortable, Emmett nodded and ran his fingers through his hair. "Keep your shirt on, okay?"   
"But-"   
"Barry wants you to make a good impression."   
Alex frowned. "She should know what I look like by now."   
"It's not about that." Emmett stepped up and just buttoned his shirt back up. "Allison is one of the two ruling Royals of our neighboring town Whitehill, for the past 20 years or so."   
"So she's still young."   
Emmett nodded and stepped back. Alex stared at him and frowned a little, because Emmett seemed to be struggling a little bit with himself.  
"Why don't you just tell me?"   
That didn't make it any better, because Emmett bit his lip so hard it bled.   
"I don't know who to obey," he said softly. "You or Barry. Barry has ordered me to tell you nothing else."  
"That's not fair," Alex remarked, again with a faint rumble, and Emmett shrugged while he nodded.   
"Barry wants you to get along very well," he said very softly, probably afraid he'd already said too much, but Alex's frown deepened.   
It could mean anything.

~

Julie didn't like Allison. This was partly due to the nature of the matter - female alphas were generally to be enjoyed with caution -, partly simply because of Allison herself.   
And Julie was not alone in her opinion; Tiffany had been bitterly edgy since the news of the guest had reached the house, Marge was strangely nervous, and strangely enough, Lester and Emmett were the most worried, with Julie getting absolutely nothing out of the latter.

It was almost silly how they gathered in the entrance hall when Allison's car came up the driveway, but Julie's opinion didn't matter. It was Emmett who finally opened the front door with a flourish and Julie put on a polite smile she didn't feel; Barry had told her to stay in the background and she could guess why.   
First to enter was Maddy, Allison's Beta. She was a small stocky woman with a round face and strangely gray-white dyed hair that had been spiked to short spines. She wore a suit and looked a little ridiculous and not at all serious.   
Allison, however, was a completely different matter. Tall and willowy, with shimmering skin like freshly brewed coffee, shaved bald head and simply a gorgeous face. She radiated everything that defined a Royal, plus the sensuality of a woman who knew what she wanted.   
Julie felt like an unknowing teenager, but to her surprise, Alex reacted differently than expected: he backed away from the older Royal, lowered his head a bit and his human ears twitched.

"Come in and make yourself at home," Barry greeted his colleague with a warm smile and Allison laughed softly, a perfect sparkling sound.   
"It's good to be back." She turned to Alex, who suddenly turned pale. "It's very nice to meet you." She held out her hand in a human manner, and carefully, he returned the gesture. Julie was fixated on his scent and perceived a hint of confusion on him, although Allison was emitting a load of pheromones to match her smile.   
"Likewise," Alex replied cautiously and nodded seriously.

Although Allison turned her attention to Alex, Tiffany apologized even before dessert and left the dining room. No one seemed to mind.   
But when Alex got up shortly after dinner, Barry frowned critically. "I'm going to take care of the papers with Emmett and then go outside," Alex explained, and Julie saw that Barry wanted to contradict him and couldn't think of any meaningful reason. Alex nodded politely at Allison and Julie hurriedly hid her amused smile behind a napkin, for Allison did indeed seem slightly piqued. However, her smile faded immediately when Barry gave her a sharp look. As the round was cancelled anyway, she hurriedly began to clear the table.

~

Alex couldn't help admitting that he was running from Allison. It may have taken him a while to realize what this dinner was really about, but Allison intimidated him in the most unpleasant way.   
Emmett's only comment was a subliminally amused shake of the head before they actually took care of the papers.

"You'd better not walk around outside as a wolf," Emmett remarked later that evening and Alex frowned.   
"Why?"   
In response, Emmett simply tapped his nose and Alex took a deep breath. Almost immediately, he had to sneeze.   
"Bless you," Emmett said mockingly. At least now Alex knew why he had been restless for a while: the smell of two Royals having sex was heavy in the air, and as a wolf, the smell would be even harder to bear. He thought of Julie, who couldn't remain unaffected by the pheromone explosion either, but he wasn't willing or able to take such a risk. Not with an absolute Omega, not with Julie.   
"I'm gonna go out anyway," he said a little late, and Emmett nodded.   
"But stay human, okay?"   
"Okay." Alex nodded back and stepped out onto the terrace. The fresh air did him good and he stood still for a moment, but then a soft lustful moan reached his ears. He looked up at Barry's bedroom window on the first floor - it was open and behind it was the flickering light of a candle. But without the pungent scent to go with it, it didn't bother him; in his old pack, sex had been a very public matter.

What caught his attention, however, was Tiffany, who was sitting in the shadows, leaning against the wall of the house and emitting a bitter scent. Hesitantly, he walked over to her.   
"Hey..."   
"Hey..." she murmured back.   
"Is everything okay?", he wanted to know carefully.   
"Do I give the impression that everything is okay?" she asked back bitingly and Alex, who by now knew that Tiffany was a little difficult, gave back coolly:   
"I was taught to wrap up the obvious politely."   
She snorted and he sat down beside her. Despite the darkness, he could see her writhing to the sounds from above.   
"Does it hurt?"   
For a moment he thought he would get no answer, but then she sighed bitterly.   
"Yes, it does." She ran her fingers through her hair. "Actually, I could consider myself lucky that Barry has no mate, but still... it hurts, yes. I'm a blood source, a toy, nothing more."   
"That... doesn't sound very pleasant," Alex murmured uneasily.   
"No. But I'm an absolute Omega, that's my destiny." She gave a bitter snort. "My predecessor died unexpectedly and Barry had to get a new Omega, even though he was already counting his years."   
Before Alex could find a response, she went on:   
"In his four hundred years, he had three mates and no clue how many Omegas, and I, of all people, am the least of them."   
"That's not true," Alex contradicted her softly, and she laughed bitterly.   
"No? He didn't want another Omega, Alex, he's tired of life. My whole being aims to serve him and make him happy, everything about me screams for his attention, his affection, and all I get are his bites when he drinks my blood. I'm not important enough to him to give me a baby... we don't even have regularly sex."   
Stunned, Alex looked at her, watched her shudder in agony as a male grunt sounded from above. "Do you love him?" The question just slipped out.   
"Can absolute Omegas even love?" she asked back. "Or how do we feel about our Royal? Love? Dependence? I don't know." She sighed softly, hurt, and then murmured: "I'm sorry."   
"What for?" he wanted to know, because this whole conversation was as confusing as it was revealing.   
"I'm afraid I'm not exactly the best role model for Julie." With these words, Tiffany rose and walked away, deeper into the garden, and disappeared into the shadows.

Alex didn't know how long he sat there in the nocturnal garden, thinking about what he'd heard with a strange feeling in his chest. There was compassion for Tiffany, for sure, but also something else he couldn't put into words. He didn't want Julie to feel the same or worse once he found a mate.   
Why did Royals do this to the Omegas?

In Barry's bedroom, the action went into another round - the third or fourth - and Alex rose to go back into the house. Inside, the smell was heavy and sticky, and he wanted to turn back- but he didn't want to be alone. A wolf needed his pack.   
So he slipped into his loose shorts and went over to Emmett, who was blissfully asleep and only sighed briefly as Alex slipped into bed next to him. He didn't like being alone and Emmett's scent of safety and comfort calmed him down in no time.   
Should Barry fuck Allison like he wanted to, Alex was happy he had his pack to cuddle. He buried his nose in Emmett's neck and sighed comfortably.   
He wasn't alone and that was good.


	12. Mates and Maturity

The house where Andy lived was much smaller than Barry's; it looked old, but as it was embedded in a wild looking garden, it radiated coziness. The gravel of the garden path crunched under Alex and Emmett's feet, but could not drown out the laughter from the back garden.   
"Are we too late?" Alex asked anxiously, but Emmett grinned happily.   
"A Royal is never late." This didn't quite fit with the concept of precise time, which Alex tried to accommodate, but he left it with a slight frown. Which grew significantly bigger when his gaze followed Emmett's finger hitting the doorbell- _Brick/Santos_ was written on the little sign.   
"Brick?" he asked irritated.   
"Hmm? Oh..." Emmett seemed a little embarrassed. "Yes... Andy's father is Barry's youngest son, but they have practically no contact, except that Andy and Julie are friends and... well, no one talks about it."   
"Okay..." That's all Alex could get out, because the door was ripped open.  
"Come in, come in!" Andy grabbed Alex by the wrist and pulled him into the house. For a moment he wanted to fight against the grip because the unfamiliar scents, the smell of fire and smoke made him feel like prey, but his first instinct was replaced by others as they entered a large living room after a narrow hallway and saw the other young men through the open patio door. Alex's pack.

"Look who I've found," Andy shouted triumphantly and lifted Alex's hand up into the air; joyful cheering sounded and Alex grinned foolishly.   
"Found?" Emmett echoed with a snort. "You lured us here with the promise of food." That added to the laughter and Raj, standing next to a big barbecue, pointed to it.   
"You're going to have to be patient a little while longer. The coals aren't ready yet."   
Alex couldn't have told how old the others were- he didn't even know exactly how old he himself actually was- but he mocked them anyway. "What, are your teeth so brittle already that you have to tenderize your meat?"   
Garrett promptly grinned, showing his teeth and knocked against them with a fork, Eric, on the other hand, patted Andy on the shoulder benevolently.   
"Nope, but Meggie knows how to make a great marinade and Andy's mom makes these amazing dumplings."   
From Chris came a sympathetic growl.   
"I think my wolf chose Meggie for her cooking," Andy said in a good mood and then asked Alex: "Would you like a beer too?"   
He shook his head. The stronger a werewolf, the less effect alcohol had, but the stuff just didn't taste good.   
Andy disappeared into the house, Garrett pointed to the empty chair next to him and Emmett protested when Chris asked him something.

~

A little uncomfortable Julie shifted around on her chair. She didn't feel well, and it wasn't even Brittany's fault, although she didn't like Garrett's mate. Susanna, Thea, Stacy and Meggie had also come, as a counterpart to the men's meeting that took place at Andy's house, and there was happy chit-chat - only, somehow, Julie wasn't one of them. She wasn't Alex's mate, nor was she friends with the women, but Emmett had persuaded her to come, so she sat in Brittany's kitchen, smiling despite the pain in her belly she'd had since the morning, and listening to gossip about people she didn't know.

"No!" Stacy exclaimed at that moment in feigned horror. "Theodore and... _Eleanor_?"   
"Yes!" Susanna and Brittany called back giggling. The latter placed a tray of six dessert glasses on the dining table, in which white cream snuggled seductively around strawberries, crowned by milk chocolate rasps. As the conversation still revolved around people Julie didn't know, she devoted her attention to the dessert.   
Strawberries. Alex said she smelled of honey and wild strawberries, and those were about the only sweet things he ate. He had actually spit out chocolate when he first tasted it.

"Julie?"   
"Hmm?" Embarrassed, she realized she'd still got the spoon in her mouth staring into space. "I'm sorry, what-" She blushed under the others' gaze.   
"I just wanted to know if you liked it," Brittany said strangely softly, as if she was afraid to frighten a timid animal.   
"Oh. Yes, a lot." Julie regained her polite smile and nodded. "I was just thinking, that Alex"- amused and understanding smiles shone out at her- "doesn't like sweets."   
Thea giggled. "Such a good-looking guy is sweet enough by himself. Imagine if someone like _Simon_ were our future Royal."   
"Urgh." Stacy did, and Julie almost slipped her polite mask. Were the other women always so fucking shallow? If so, she didn't mind not being one of them.

~

Full and satisfied Alex leaned back. It was almost amazing how comfortable he felt. At that very moment he got a kick under the table - from Emmett, whose facial expression was probably supposed to tell Alex something, but which he didn't understand at all. Before the whole thing could get completely silly, Emmett sighed.   
"Now, guys, which of you can tell our Royal how to find a mate?"   
"You don't _find_ a mate, you _get found_ ," Andy promptly said.   
"Bullshit. It's got nothing to do with seek and find," contradicted Eric.   
"But how do I know she's the one?" Alex wanted to know in a hurry, before any discussions developed that were too philosophical for him.   
"Pups," Garrett said with a wry smile and Alex looked at him irritated.   
Raj sighed. "As always, you'll start just before the end. Come on."   
"Right, come on." Andy chirped in. "The journey is the destination, just like sex."   
A polyphonic sigh, part amused, part annoyed, was the answer.   
"A mate is safety, trust and warmth," Raj said in a strangely cautionary tone, looking at Alex with a serious gaze. "A mate is a safe haven, just as you are a safe haven for your mate. In certain moments, mates are one, they understand each other without words and-"   
"Okay, thank you, that's enough," Eric interrupted him, rolling his eyes, a little harshly. "The thing is, when the time comes, you'll know."   
"That's easy for you to say," Chris growled. "You've found your mate when you were a kid."   
Garrett smiled reassuringly in Chris' direction at first, then almost provocatively to Alex. "If you think about pups during sex and not your own lust, you can be pretty sure."   
"That's pretty disturbing, by the way, when you're almost still a pup yourself," Andy remarked, now much more sober.   
Alex could well imagine this. "Fortunately, I'm not a pup anymore."   
"And you don't have to wait _years_ to be allowed to undergo the mate ritual," Eric muttered.   
"Why? Is there an age limit for that?" Alex wanted to know irritated and the others nodded.   
"You have to be at least seventeen, which in my humble opinion is nonsense, because most couples find each other at fourteen or fifteen," Garrett said, but shrugged. "And before you ask, the ritual is completely individual."   
At least Alex was already aware of that and he nodded, but Andy sounded amused in between:   
"Either way, it involves a lot of sex. They say the ritual can take several days for a Royal."   
Alex got a wink and he raised an eyebrow, saw Emmett shrugging a little helplessly and Raj said:   
"It takes as long as it takes. Meanwhile, you're thinking about nothing else anyway and just follow your instincts until the final bite."   
Garrett, who was wearing a tight black T-shirt with a wide V-neck, pulled it a little to the side to show Alex the bite scar- quickly he averted his eyes. He had learned not to look at these marks because it made Rick furious. Rick's mate had given birth to a stranger pup, and if she hadn't died shortly afterwards, their mate's bond would probably have broken and Rick's mark would have faded.

"Shall we go for a run?" Emmett asked, as relaxed as Alex was suddenly tense.   
"Sounds good." Eric was the first one to get up.   
As Alex hung his shirt over the back of the chair, he saw Chris look at Eric with slight discomfort and rub his own collarbone.   
"Hey, if you want, I can give you a scar too," Andy called cheerfully and Chris rumbled- Alex's ears twitched, because it was the warning of a pissed-off Alpha, and he rumbled back very quietly. Immediately Chris lowered his head and was a beta again, but that was something Alex had to keep in mind.   
Garrett also relaxed and Alex continued to undress. Eric and Emmett were already wrestling in the grass next to the terrace, but he enjoyed the slowly cooling summer air on his naked skin too much to shift immediately.

~

The evening became long and longer, Julie's abdomen hurt and she got a headache on top of it. Emmett hadn't called as he had promised and she apologized briefly to go out into the hallway and call him. Since he didn't answer, the guys were probably running through the gardens covered in fur. Julie sighed and grimaced as her abdomen suddenly cramped up violently. She would have loved to curl up somewhere, but before she said goodbye, she urgently needed to go to the toilet.

"No..." she whispered when she saw the blood on the toilet paper. "Please no..."   
Stacy had just told everyone that she had found a new painkiller that was especially gentle and well tolerated for menstrual discomfort, but Julie hadn't really been listening. The others had been having their period for many years, but Julie's body was only reacting _now_ that she had a Royal. This meant that she could now conceive.   
She became nauseous.   
Since she had no idea how to handle the tampons, which were almost decoratively placed in a glass box on the shelf, she unceremoniously stuffed toilet paper into her panties. Tiffany had sanitary napkins at home, she was sure of that.   
And then she had to bite her lip, because all of a sudden it felt like her labia were being torn off.   
To crown all this, the others looked at her as if they knew exactly what was going on - of course they did, they could smell the blood - and Brittany said sweetly:   
"I can't wait to see your pups."

~

It was so late that it was actually early again when Alex and Emmett strolled back home through the villa quarter. Alex had a lot on his mind, but he was too tired to ask Emmett about it, and besides, the nightly silence after all the noise of the small pack was extremely pleasant. Emmett, too, seemed to postpone all talks until later.

Alex hadn't quite stepped through the front door yet, but he paused already.   
"What is it?" Emmett wanted to know and shoved him a little bit roughly to the side so he could close the door.   
"Blood," Alex said quietly, fighting the urge to shift.   
Emmett frowned. "That'll be Tiffany."   
Alex shook his head. "Julie." He started to move and heard Emmett sigh.   
"Alex, there's no reason to panic. Alex. Alex!"   
But Alex wouldn't listen. He hurried through the house and almost ripped the door to Julie's room off its hinges.   
Scared, she raised her head.   
"Is everything all right?" he wanted to know and was a little annoyed by the rough tone of his voice.   
"Yeah," Julie murmured and lowered her head again, curled up tighter under the blanket, "Everything's okay..." Had she even heard his question properly?   
"It'll be over in a few days, don't worry," Emmett said softly and Alex growled at him stifled. Julie smelled of blood and was in pain and as normal as that was, his instincts were not yet fully aware of it.

Under Emmett's quiet protest, Alex undressed and shifted, leaping lightly onto the bed and curled up so that his body heat could ease Julie's pain. She wrapped an arm around him, muttered something incomprehensible, and went back to sleep.   
Still standing in the doorway, Emmett sighed. "You're exaggerating a little. Your poor Omega will not die of menstrual pain."   
Alex growled at him and he raised his hands apologetically.   
"It's okay. But I'm seriously wondering how you're going to increase your level of care once you have a mate."   
Alex growled again, and this time Emmett withdrew obediently.

Alex carefully repositioned himself a little and then closed his eyes, Julie's breath grazing his ear. He had no mate and his Omega needed him; as long as she was vulnerable, he would take extra good care of her.   
Slowly the pain in Julie's scent faded and he yawned.   
Actually, he thought, stretching one front paw a little, all that was missing now was a clumsy puppy.   
He yawned again and felt Julie's hand twitching in his fur, his tail twitched as if in response.


	13. Family II

The summer passed in the doziness of the hottest weeks of the year and although Alex suffered from the heat, which he wasn't used to, he blossomed. Every time Julie saw him with one of the other young men, warmth filled her chest, for Alex was born to be a leader and now grew into his role. The affection she felt for the little pack almost made her burst when she saw the pile of fur and limbs and ears playing in the garden or cuddling. But she herself was only a marginal figure, she had paved the way for the Royal to come.   
And now she was waiting for the said Royal to give her his attention.

"Shall I help you?" Marge's question tore Julie from her gloomy thoughts and she realized she was standing like lost in the kitchen.   
"Hmm? No. No, I'm just getting things ready for the muffins."   
Marge looked at her critically. "You look unhappy. Come here."   
With the hint of a smile, Julie gave in to her foster mother's warm, soft embrace and Marge stroked her back.   
"I'm sorry I can't give you any helpful advice."   
"Don't be sorry for that," Julie murmured to her shoulder. "Who has experience with young Royals?"   
Marge laughed softly and kissed her on the cheek. "Damien was pretty easy to catch, so I don't even have any real experience with young men."   
Julie simply nodded, and Marge, who may be human but was not stupid, gave her another smile.   
"Everybody's got to find their own way, honey." And then she left Julie alone.

Not for long though, because when Julie read the muffin recipe taped to a wall cupboard one last time, Alex entered the kitchen. She didn't hear him or smell him, it was simply his presence that made her turn around.   
"How was your meeting with Chris?"   
"Fine," he said simply, and came over to her. He seemed tense and maybe a little unhappy and she felt an urgent need to change that. As an absolute omega, it was her first duty to ensure the welfare of her Royal. But before she could say or do anything, Alex muttered:   
"I need your blood."   
"Emmett's not here." He was still supervising the process.   
"I know, but Barry doesn't like it when the schedule gets messed up." The way he said that, and the way his lips twitched, was a sign of a lack of respect - he was more tense than she thought.   
So she nodded and offered him her wrist.   
"I'll be careful," he promised her, as he always did, and she nodded again. Gently he took her arm, gently he bit.   
In some way, she even understood what he meant when he said it felt wrong, but after the disaster of last time, she would certainly not offer him her neck.

"What are you doing?" he asked and drank a little water afterwards.   
"I'm gonna bake muffins for Emmett in the morning," she replied, watching the bite mark heal.   
"Why?"   
"Because it's his birthday tomorrow." She looked up. "You know what that means, right?"   
Alex frowned. "I think it's silly to celebrate a day like this, but I get the concept."   
_At least_ , she thought, but Alex still radiated a strange restlessness which had something animalistic about it after the blood consumption.   
_Royals,_ Tiffany had once said, _you have to trick._ So Julie asked quietly:   
"Could I have a hug?"   
"Of course." Alex immediately spread his arms invitingly and she snuggled up to him. She doubted that he understood this hug was meant for him.

His scent softened, became less pressing, and she felt his muscles relax.   
"Is everything okay?" he asked quietly, and she nodded.   
"Yes. Thank you." She felt safe and secure, and the wildness in Alex was just there to protect her. She let out a pleasant sigh and he stroked her back.   
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked again and this time she leaned back to look at him.   
"Yes."   
His warm smile was just for her and made something tingle inside her. And because she knew that he probably couldn't do much with kissing and would probably never make the first step in that respect, she stood on tiptoe and pressed a gentle, yet awkward, kiss on his lips.   
Stunned, he blinked at her, long enough for uncertainty to take possession of her, but then he bent over.

The kisses were shy, cautious little kisses. He held her and kissed her as if his touch alone could break her, but it created a tenderness which filled Julie with warmth. Said warmth gathered between her legs, became a tingling and even then stronger as he pushed his tongue into her mouth and she tasted the remains of her own blood on him.   
She could smell his arousal - pressing, demanding, wild, overwhelming - and when he pressed her against a kitchen counter she could feel it too, but as worried as the little voice in her head was, so right it felt to her body.   
The tip of Alex's tongue ran across her upper lip and she made a soft, pleasant sound. Something in him seemed to vibrate and then he rumbled, deep and warning that he shouldn't be disturbed.   
As Julie dozily wondered how a human could make such a sound, fur sprouted on the arm she was holding. Irritated, she opened her eyes.   
Alex had wolf's ears and his shape seemed to flicker; when he - now irritated himself - opened his mouth as if to ask a question, wolf's teeth shimmered in it. He couldn't control himself, and that made any kind of arousal die in Julie.

"Chrm-chrm."   
They both turned to the door where Emmett leaned and frowned critically.   
Alex growled at him.   
"Barry wants to see you."   
_"Now?"_   
"Since you're obviously not doing what you were going to do... yes, _now_."   
Alex growled again and stomped out of the kitchen, his body literally pulsating.   
"Are you okay?" Emmett asked after a moment.   
"He can't control himself," Julie said quietly, her arms wrapped around herself; Emmett looked at her unhappily.   
"Looks that way."   
"I can't sleep with a wolf!"   
"No... rather not..."

~

Alex stomped through the house; arousal, frustration and something else whirled around in him, wild enough to make his wolf ears twitch constantly. Kissing was a great thing, as he had just discovered, and he wanted to cover Julie's body with kisses, just as he wanted to feel her lips on his skin.   
With a suppressed growl, he entered Barry's study and dropped into the visitor's chair.   
Barry did not comment on what had happened - it was better that way, because otherwise Alex would have put up a nice fight - but asked after a short pause: "When's your birthday?"   
"I don't know," Alex said brusquely. "In autumn, I think."   
"Don't the _Rustling Leaves_ have anyone to take care of those things?"   
"Till kept a record of this human nonsense, but Till died in a fight when I was a little pup."   
"But you remember that."   
"Not really." Alex hesitated. There were a few things that weren't talked about in the pack. "After I was born, the pack changed almost the entire route. Causing conflicts with other packs."   
Barry nodded slowly. "Tell me about your parents," he asked, and Alex shrugged.  
"What do you want to hear? Nobody knows who my father is and my mother is dead."   
"Still. Tell me about your mother and Rick."   
Alex sighed. "Her name was Leah. She should have led the pack after Vincent." Barry's sudden frown made him pause.   
"An alpha female. And her mate is also an Alpha... now leading the pack?"   
Alex nodded.   
"Do you know what this means?"   
Alex raised an eyebrow. "An Alpha gets another Alpha as a mate when the pack needs strong offspring," he replied slowly, not sure what Barry was getting at.   
"That's quite true, but that's not what I mean. Your mated mother has given birth to a stranger's pup. What kind of wolf has the strength to overpower an alpha female with an alpha mate?" Barry looked a little worried and Alex didn't like the answer at all.   
"A Royal."   
"Right."   
"So you think my father is a Royal?" This was a question Alex had never asked himself before, but the answer was uncomfortably obvious.   
"Rick could have killed you," Barry said quietly, and Alex realized that he must have thought about all this for some time. "He had every right to do it, even his Alpha couldn't or shouldn't have stopped him."   
"He didn't do it because he was afraid of the Royal who had...?"   
"Raped, Alex. We use the word _rape_. But yes, that sounds like a good reason." Barry nodded and Alex suddenly felt a little lost. Being the result of an act of pure violence was almost disturbing.

Barry said more, but Alex was not quite able to get the words right. The question of which Royal had taken the trouble to fight down an alpha female and why, throbbed uncomfortably in the back of his head. And if Rick had waited for the change of power in the pack before he took his chance against Alex, it probably meant that the responsible Royal was still alive. Maybe even close enough to the pack to make Rick feel it.   
Did werewolves in general have a connection to their parents or children? Alex had felt his kinship with Vincent and Victor, but only weakly and only close to them.   
Were Royals different then?

"Alex."   
"Hmm?"   
"You need an official birthday."   
"Hmm."   
"How about October?"   
"Okay."  
"Any favorite number?"   
"...five."   
"October the fifth... nice. Now that Emmett turns 25 tomorrow, you'll probably turn 26, maybe 27 at the most... Let's settle on 26."   
"Hmm."   
Barry's pen scratched. "Alex?"   
"Hmm?"   
"Go play."   
He frowned and refocused his gaze on Barry, who showed a fine, somehow affectionate smile. "I'm not a pup anymore."   
"Also fine. Then go make one."

~

Alex rubbed his eyes and blinked at the tiny flame of the tiny candle on the tiny cake that Julie carried on a small plate as if it were a precious treasure.   
"Are you coming or not?"   
He growled approvingly and followed her into the corridor and to Emmett's room, where they entered without knocking.   
Emmett flinched from his sleep and hissed without a word.   
"Happy birthday," Julie said softly.   
"Thanks," Emmett said, yawning.   
"Happy birthday," echoed Alex a little foolishly, and watched as Emmett blew out the candle and then hugged Julie. He seemed strangely happy.   
"Julie tried to explain to me the birthday stuff, but I'm not sure I understood all that," Alex then said as Emmett turned to him. He felt incredibly stupid and smiled cautiously. "So... just imagine me saying all the nonsense humans usually say now."   
Julie frowned a little angrily.   
"I'm glad to have you by my side."   
"Thanks." Emmett seemed to choke on it and then almost choked Alex in a hug. "Thank you, Alex." Then he hurried out and stunned Alex saw - before Emmett could really flee - that tears were gleaming in his eyes.  
"What exactly did I do wrong?" he asked, and his irritation grew as Julie suddenly smiled weakly.   
"Nothing. He's touched."   
"What for?"   
Julie's smile disappeared and for an uncomfortably long moment she chewed on her lip. "We've been waiting for you for quite a while, Alex," she finally said. "Emmett... will never have a mate, and though asexual as a service beta, he's still a normal werewolf and he feels the lack of a mate. I mean, sex is not everything..."   
Alex had no idea what she was trying to say- aside from the obvious, at least.   
"I know you constantly renew the blood bond, and I think... I think you're the closest thing to what makes a mate. As far as possible, you complete him. And he's touched because you really care about him."   
"Oh." That's all Alex could come up with. That Emmett considered him some kind of mate and not just his Royal was weird. And touching.

~

"Why aren't you dressed yet?"   
Alex looked up from his writing exercises and over to Damien, who was suddenly standing in the doorway of Alex's study- and by Damien's standards quite dressed up.   
"Why should I be dressed?" Alex asked back. In his shorts he was more than adequately dressed for the house.   
"We're going out to dinner. And you're coming with us."   
Alex opened his mouth in surprise. "But-"   
"No _buts_ , lad, get dressed."

And then Alex found himself for the first time in a restaurant, along with Julie, Emmett, Marge, Damien and their two daughters, Mary and Nadja, who on their part had brought their husbands and children.   
Julie patiently explained to him how the menu worked and what all the unnecessary fancy words in it meant, and for the three girls' sake they all played a card game between all the plates and glasses and bowls that was simple enough for Alex to understand the rules without long explanations.   
Alex managed to skip dessert and while the others were eating their sweets, Nadja's little son climbed onto Alex's lap and held a book under his nose. So Alex made an effort, read to the boy- Matt? Max?- a story about fishes, and before he was halfway through, the little boy had fallen asleep in his arm.

The affection in Julie's eyes was enough that Alex even joined in the special birthday dessert without protest afterwards, despite how disgustingly sweet it was.


	14. The Heir and his Pack

Julie shook her head even before Alex had put the shirt on properly. They looked at each other through the mirror and he frowned sullenly, but Emmett shook his head too. The shirt was straining at the upper arms and shoulders, and if Julie saw it right, the sleeves were too short. Alex was still not fully grown, it seemed.   
With a sigh, he took the shirt off.   
"How many options do we have left?" Emmett wanted to know and Julie took a step back to take a look in the closet.   
"Two." On the bed were already six discarded shirts that would be donated to a second-hand store. Emmett sighed and Julie pulled the penultimate shirt off the hanger as Barry entered- without knocking, but on the other hand, Alex lived with open doors.   
"Isn't it a little late to try on the outfit for tomorrow?" he asked, sounding critical but not blaming.   
"The suit was just dropped off earlier," Emmett grumbled, pointing to the anthracite-colored tailor-made suit that hung under a protective layer from a shelf. "Besides, the shirt that was being considered was only three weeks old. Who would have thought Alex would still be growing at such a rate?"   
Now, however, Barry raised his eyebrows in surprise. That Alex would not retain the stature of the starving boy had been clear to them all, but in Julie's eyes the progress was beginning to be a little too much.   
"You must have been _far_ below your potential," Barry said and Alex shrugged.   
"Among the _Rustling Leaves_ , no one would ever have thought of actually offering me their blood. That's a legend."   
Julie handed him the shirt and he slipped into it.   
"Not perfect, but acceptable," Barry commented and nodded; Alex seemed relieved. But that changed suddenly when Barry asked: "Are you ready for tomorrow?" The official presentation of the heir.   
"No." Suddenly, Alex was very pale.   
Barry stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder, a warm fatherly gesture, the sight of which touched Julie strangely. Just like the look Alex gave Barry, or the faint smile on Barry's lips.   
"It's time to grow up."   
"I know," Alex said very softly. "But I'm not ready."   
"I know. But time is running out." Something in Barry's posture changed and suddenly he seemed tired - and not just because it was after dinner.   
Alex barely nodded, Barry patted him on the shoulder and then gave Emmett and Julie a quick nod each before he left. Alex stayed behind with his shoulders slumped and looked at his reflection as if it was about to give him good advice; Julie stepped forward and put an arm around his waist.   
"You were born to rule."   
He pulled her to him and kissed her temple before saying: "I know. The werewolves are not the problem, but the humans."   
"That's what the city council is for," Emmett said, smiling encouragingly. "And me. And Julie, of course."   
She stuck out her tongue and he winked at her while Alex leaned his forehead against her temple and took a deep breath. She looked up at Emmett, who pretended to salute and backed off.

After a long moment of silence, Alex asked quietly: "You'll be there tomorrow?" He meant the press room.   
"Of course. I won't miss your first presentation."   
"I'm going to make a fool of myself." He pulled her tight and to avoid accidentally smearing makeup on his shirt, she pushed it aside and leaned against his naked skin.   
"You won't," she said gently. "You've been practicing."   
"That's not what I mean." She was surprised to see him tremble with uncertainty. "I'm supposed to take care of education and the co-existence of humans and werewolves and I don't know a thing about either. Do you really think humans will accept me?" The humans had no other choice, but Julie didn't say that.   
"They will. They already do."   
He snorted in disbelief.   
"Barry's done a lot of groundwork and all of Lightfall knows who and what you are. You're mysterious, good-looking, shy... that makes you extremely fascinating."   
He snorted again, but didn't say anything, and Julie wasn't sure what else to say; finally she decided for:   
"You can do it." She leaned back, looked up at him and gave him a smile. His answer surprised her, for he bent over and kissed her. Slow and tender, but intense, and his hands glided over her clothed body; in no time she was on fire, and all that was missing was her consent.   
She was ready to give it, really, but her breath hitched as his lips brushed across her neck and too sharp teeth scraped across her skin. He didn't need her blood, not really, not now, and she held on to his shoulder, a protest already on the tip of her tongue. He didn't really bite, but she felt that the scratching made her bleed- he kissed the blood away and then he pushed her away almost abruptly.   
Uncomfortable, she saw that his shape was flickering again and he squeezed his eyes shut, clenched his hands into fists; he was struggling for his human form and obviously angry with himself. She hesitated - long enough that he blinked at her and smiled tensely.   
"I'm sorry." He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and turned away. "Good night, Julie."   
"Good night, Alex," she replied quietly and left his bedroom feeling confused.   
What was so different about her that she provoked such reactions in him?

~

The press room was actually not a room, but a little hall with a small stage and decorative curtains behind it, which made a big impression on photos and videos. Julie stood at the front edge so Alex could see her without her getting in the way of the press people. It was amazing how many of them crowded in here - from Lightfall, Whitehill, Owlcreek and a lot of other cities that were much further away. On the other hand, changes of government were rather rare given the life expectancy of Royals.

Barry stood tall and proud at the lectern, speaking seriously and calmly, with few gestures.   
Lester stood at his left side, leaning heavily on his walking stick, and seemed like the symbol of the aging Royal; they had both grown older than anyone expected.   
Alex stood at Barry's right side, hands clasped behind his back, and the longer Barry spoke, the closer Emmett came to him, until he put a hand on his Royal's back.   
Julie caught his gaze and nodded at him, wishing she could do something for Alex because her nose caught a whiff of his nervousness - he hadn't even started talking yet and the werewolf reporters would smell it too.

"...and so I turn the floor over to Alexander Berry."   
The reporters, who didn't have cameras, microphones, or any other technology on their hands, applauded politely as Barry stepped aside, gave Alex a smile that was more for the press than for him, and Alex stepped to the lectern, stiff and with an almost blank face.   
"Good morning," he said, too quiet and too shy. His eyes twitched to Julie and she smiled encouragingly at him, but she clearly saw his hands tensing around the edge of the lectern. He had practiced the speech Emmett and Lester had written for him persistently, even here in the press room, to get a feel for the telepromter, but his nervousness was greater than they all had expected.   
He had to concentrate too much on the words themselves to find a pleasant speech rhythm and sounded almost bored. And above it all hung the smell of a nervous Royal, which sooner or later would make everyone else present nervous as well.   
Concerned, Julie saw tension creeping into Emmett's posture, and that Barry was also watching Alex closely.

~

In theory Alex knew what he was talking about, but in practice he had no idea what he was saying. He had forgotten the name of the thing showing him his speech, but he held on to it, literally, concentrating on the letters on the screen and trying desperately not to flinch at every flash of the cameras.   
Emmett was next to him, Barry was there, Julie was close by...   
The longer he held this too-long speech, the more he slipped into the nonhuman instincts. He didn't face any real threat, but he wanted to know the most important members of his pack around him. Chris was here somewhere, too, he had seen him outside the press room.

Alex paused and blinked, swallowed and then noticed that the small screen was blank. Emmett had told him several times that he should thank everyone at the end for their numerous appearances and attention, but all he got out was a squeaky: "Thank you."   
Barry stepped next to him, put a hand on his shoulder, but what he said rushed right past Alex. Once again, a storm of flashing lights hit him and he became dizzy. The room had no windows and the air was stuffy, full of the scents of too many unknown werewolves and humans, full of the smells of technology and chemistry.   
Alex's instincts reared up, screaming for escape, and only the firm grip of his Royal on his shoulder kept him from doing so. Barry directed him off the stage and to his horror, right into the crowd of journalists. Two black figures appeared from the side - Chris and one of his colleagues - walking in front.   
Chris smelled familiar, strong, reassuring, and Alex calmed down just enough not to panic completely when the big doors of the town hall opened and threw him right at the feet of the crowd waiting in the square in front of it. Deafening cheers were ringing out, joyful shrieks shrilled in his ears.   
"Let our Royals have room to breathe!", Chris sounded across the chaos, the commanding power of an Alpha in his voice. "Give our Royals some space!"   
Barry pushed Alex further forward to an unfamiliar car, but Emmett pushed him in, climbed in after him, and then the door slammed shut, shut out the noise chaos, and Alex closed his eyes. Emmett's hand slipped into his and he held on to his Beta until he howled quietly in pain.

~

Concerned, Julie looked at Alex, who lay on his bed as a wolf, his snout buried under his paws, his ears hanging, and howling heartbreakingly. She knew he felt like he had failed.  
"What a tragedy..."   
She almost jumped out of her skin when suddenly Chris stood next to her in the doorway and tore the tie off his neck. "What... what are you doing here?" she asked in amazement and watched as he carelessly dropped his jacket on the floor.   
"Taking care of my Royal," he said seriously, but gave her a fleeting smile. He undressed in front of her and shifted, jumped on the bed and cuddled up to Alex, who nudged him with his snout in greeting.   
Then Emmett and Patrick entered the bedroom and also began to carelessly throw off their clothes.   
"Let the others in, will you?" Emmett asked before he too jumped on the bed as a wolf.   
Stunned, Julie raised her eyebrows and then flinched again as the doorbell rang.

About an hour after Andy, Eric, and Garrett had joined them, the little pack went into the garden.   
Julie stood in the patio door and watched as Alex and Chris wrestled. She felt left alone, excluded, although she knew very well that she would never be able to shift. Alex needed his boys, she knew that, but for now she felt a little bit useless.   
"You could go out and play along," Barry said softly as he stepped beside her.   
"As a human?"   
"Hmm." He nodded. "Out there is a bunch of big pups and at least two of them are addicted to cuddles."   
For a moment she wondered who else but Emmett he was referring to, but she didn't ask the question out loud. Instead, Barry sighed deeply and when she looked up at him, there was that strange tiredness on his face again.   
"Time is running out. Alex must grow up."   
She nodded. The question of how much time he had left was not asked either.   
"In his heart, Alex is really still a pup, but he is strong," Barry then said slowly. "Maybe too strong."   
"Too strong for what?"   
"Too strong for the careful treatment we're giving him. Perhaps he needs to be thrown into cold water."   
"Don't you think it might hurt Lightfall?"   
"It could, sure. But on the other hand, already a single point of conflict between him and me could be enough to tear the whole pack apart."   
Julie pulled up her shoulders and let Barry hold her.   
"Everything has its pros and cons, Julie, and Alex... from our point of view he is _different_. You and Emmett have to ground him in a way that the other guys out there can't."   
She nodded seriously.   
"A Royal is first followed by its Beta and Omega, then its lieutenants. So get out there and remind the boys that you are allowed to play."   
"Barry," she protested weakly, but he gave her a gentle nudge.   
"Go on."   
Reluctantly, she stepped out onto the terrace and then walked slowly through the garden, past the playing wolves, and sat down under a tree. She was ignored.   
At least for a while, but then Andy let himself fall next to her and begged for caresses.   
"You have a mate, you know?" she asked and scratched him behind the ears.   
Emmett lay down on her other side and bedded his head on her thigh; he too got his ears scratched.

At the end of the day, Julie found herself in Alex's bed surrounded by wolves as if she really belonged there. With her eyes closed, she could almost imagine she was a wolf herself, but then Alex shoved a paw in her hand and the illusion shattered.   
She was part of the pack, sure, she belonged to the side of the Royal in some way, but she was just an absolute Omega and not a mate.   
Emmett snuggled against her back, his tail happily tapping against her leg.   
Alex rumbled softly in his sleep and for a fleeting moment, Julie had the image of a pup in her mind, with tiny paws reaching for his twitching ear.   
Garrett rumbled an answer as if they were dreaming the same dream, and Andy whimpered softly.   
Emmett's tail tapped on her leg again and she sighed. Finding sleep in the midst of wolves was not so easy.


	15. Painful realizations

Alex was in a bad mood. And since this hadn't just started yesterday, but had been going on for two full weeks, Julie was surprised that Marge simply ignored it. Happily humming, she put the groceries in the fridge while Julie unpacked all the shopping bags and baskets. Sure, there were eight adults living in the house, but given the quantities, you'd think Marge would have to provide a whole company every day.

Alex growled suppressed and Julie looked over her shoulder. Alex and Emmett were sitting at the kitchen island and the former was forced to try to make friends with his new phone - which apparently was not very successful. He held the phone as if it were an injured bird.   
"You know, Alex, this thing won't bite you or break if you just hold it," she said casually, handing two more packs of butter to Marge, who finally stopped humming.   
"Almost a pity," was Alex's grim reply, which made Julie smile and Emmett chuckle. Yet he said:   
"You still need one. We have outgrown the age of smoke signals, and unfortunately humans don't understand a howled invitation to a private council meeting."   
Alex rumbled again, while this time Marge giggled.   
"Never mind, dear, Damian can't handle it either."   
Emmett started to answer, but paused when suddenly Barry's angry voice sounded.   
"- I don't care! _You_ were up north with that bastard, Edward, not me. _You're_ the one to blame!" The front door slammed shut and Barry's bad temper flooded the house.   
Alex stiffened in his chair and Julie stepped up to him to put a hand on his back- he leaned into her touch.   
"I tell you again, Edward: _you_ will explain it." If Barry argued with Edward White- next to Allison, Whitehill's second Royal- in that tone of voice, there was really something wrong, because normally the two of them were more or less friends.   
"Yes, and I really don't care in this case. Royal or not, but we have to-" Barry appeared in the kitchen door and Julie felt the need to hide behind Alex. The old Royal seemed to be even more powerful in his rage.   
"You haven't met him yet," he hissed into his phone. "He takes- No, damn it, I'm not- Listen, you idiot! I've raised enough kids to-"   
Under her hand, Julie felt Alex begin to tremble with tension.   
"When Steven-" Barry broke off and held the phone away from him, took a deep breath and then said coldly: "You know what, Edward: fuck you." He hung up and Julie raised her eyebrows in amazement. She had never heard Barry say anything like that before.

"Would you like to go outside?" Alex asked calmly into the awkward silence.   
"No." For a moment, Barry looked as if he wanted to throw his phone across the room, but then he let it slide into his jacket pocket. "No. Emmett, make sure you're ready to leave in the morning."   
"Of course. But are you sure that's a good idea?"   
"Edward's a fucking coward, but the meeting is necessary."   
"Why is he a coward?" Alex asked, and Barry growled.   
"We'll talk about this later."   
Alex was obviously not satisfied with this answer, but Marge anticipated him with a reply:   
"Why don't you tell the kids a nice story after you've been ranting around here like this?"   
"Kids?" Emmett muttered critically, and Barry sighed.   
"Marge, the time for fairy tales has been over for a while."   
"But I'm sure those three don't know how they got here."   
"Well, we certainly weren't brought by the stork," Julie said dryly and Alex turned halfway around, irritated.   
"Stork?"   
At least that made Barry laugh and he rubbed his face. "No, the stork certainly did not bring you. My goodness... I can't decide if that was forever ago or yesterday." Suddenly, he seemed quite melancholy. Well, Julie had a rough idea of how she had gotten here to Barry, but she had never heard an exact story about it.   
"Will you tell us?" Emmett asked cautiously, and Barry nodded with a smile.   
"Why not?"

They made themselves comfortable on the terrace, even though the sun would set pretty soon and then it would cool down quickly.   
"If we agree you'll be twenty-six in three weeks, you were about a year old when I first felt you existed," Barry said slowly after a long pause, looking at Alex, who pulled his shoulders up a little. Julie found it incredibly strange that apparently nobody knew how old Alex actually was. The fact that Royals were registered at birth had obviously not reached the nomadic packs.   
"How did you know that?" Alex asked quietly, and a strange smile crept up on Barry's face; he wasn't looking at anyone but into the garden.   
"Most pregnant women fall into a kind of nest-building instinct shortly before birth. It is similar with Royals."   
Emmett chuckled softly.   
"I suddenly felt the need for a nicer, bigger home." Barry pointed to the house and garden, and Julie had to smile. "I had this house built..." For a moment he seemed to lose himself in memories until Alex asked:   
"Where did you live before?"   
"In the house where your friend Andy lives with his family now. By now you surely know that his father is my youngest child."   
Alex nodded. It must have been a strange feeling for Andy- the house, his relationship to Barry, but he didn't talk about it and Julie or the others had never asked about it.   
"Well, a house alone doesn't make a nest, so I took care of a Beta and an Omega." Barry looked at Julie and Emmett, but actually talked more to Alex. "There are always some born, after all, they don't live nearly as long as a Royal, but if you're looking for companions for an heir, you should look at the babies that nobody expected."   
"What do you mean?" Alex wanted to know, unsettled. Barry seemed as confused as Julie felt.   
"Well, what do _you_ mean?"   
"I mean, I know you're over four hundred years old and Tiffany's not your first Omega, but... but... but are they just _dying_?" Julie got an unhappy look from Alex.   
"Of course we're gonna die someday." It was Emmett who responded gently. "We won't even live to be as old as normal humans."   
That was enough to turn Alex back into a scared puppy. _"What?"_   
"In a few years, we'll stop aging. We'll keep our strength and our looks-" Emmett nodded slightly in Julie's direction, "-to serve our Royal as best as we can, but we pay for it with our lifetime. Lester is only in his early sixties, but his time is up. Less than two years ago he looked no older than Tiffany." Now, however, Lester looked like a fragile ninety-year-old and they had actually been counting his last days for months. It was amazing how stubborn the Beta was.

Alex remained silent in amazement.   
"Service Betas and absolute Omegas have a very special purpose," Barry said softly. "Their nature doesn't allow them to-"   
"They just die," Alex whispered muffled. "We use them and then they die."   
"That's-"   
"That's cruel."   
"But that's the way it is, Alex, even though Emmett and Julie will live longer than usual. They were born because of you."   
"How is that possible?"   
Barry shrugged. "Like I said, those kind of Betas and Omegas are always born, but when a baby is born somewhere that nobody ever expected..." Barry's melancholy, along with Alex's stunned state of mind, created a strange mood that gave Julie goose bumps.   
"Emmett was three when I found him. A bright little whirlwind..."   
Julie looked at her foster brother, who seemed a little uncomfortable, although he should have been buffering Alex's mood.   
"You knew I would take you with me even before I had even looked at you properly. And this... this is an heir's service Beta."   
Emmett seemed like he was gonna say something, but he kept his mouth shut. When Barry's eyes met hers, Julie involuntarily ducked her head, because suddenly there was remorse.   
"I'm... I'm sorry, Julie. I'm afraid I took the wrong girl. You weren't-"   
"No," Alex said quietly but forcefully. "Julie is the right one. She belongs with me."   
"Of course she belongs with you." Barry bowed his head in agreement. "But think of what her blood is doing to you. It's not normal."   
Alex pressed his lips together and looked away. Julie also lowered her eyes to her hands. It was also not normal that they still hadn't slept with each other, but every damn time Alex almost lost control to his wolf.   
Maybe Barry really had made the wrong choice. The thought was painful but the reality was what it was.

Alex stood up and pulled the shirt over his head.   
"Alex, what-" Emmett started, but a gesture from Barry held him back.   
Alex undressed, shifted, and disappeared into the garden. Seconds later, a long howl filled with emotion sounded, sending a shiver down Julie's spine.   
Emmett also rose, but again Barry held him back. "He needs us," Emmett said quietly.   
"You'll die before he's properly settled into his new role. He will see mates and children die, but that is the price we pay," Barry returned, stern as ever. "No normal Alpha could lead such a large pack, no normal Alpha would want to and could lead his pack under the rule of a human."   
"The price is too high!"   
Julie put a hand on Emmett's arm, but he shook her off. She herself didn't think the price she was paying was excessive, but she understood what Emmett meant. But unlike Emmett, her nature didn't allow her to really rebel against it. She was not made to protect her Royal, but to tend to his wounds afterwards- be they physical or psychological.

"We Royals pay for peace between humans and werewolves, Emmett. We came into being ages ago, when humans and werewolves fought each other, when they hated us as monsters, even though we weren't even drinking blood then." Barry also rose and Julie sank in her chair. "You know the strict rules by which we live and rule, Emmett, you will teach these rules to Alex and make sure he follows them. That is your duty, among many others. You were born to serve, just as he was born to rule. None of us chose this."   
Emmett growled quietly while Alex howled again in the background - and someone answered.   
Julie had never felt so uncomfortable in Barry's presence before.   
"The only alternative to our existence is death," he said gently. "And I am the only one here who has a real right to meet him."


	16. Royal Affairs

Alex turned the phone in his fingers. He felt trapped in the car, strained by the seatbelt and the phone in his pocket had bothered him. Barry sat behind him rustling papers, and Emmett looked intently at the road. The speed at which the cars raced along the highway was almost disturbing, so Alex didn't direct his gaze outside.  
Emmett gave him a quick glance and a tiny smile. It hurt. Emmett had already lived more than a third of his life, while Alex's hadn't even started properly. It was not fair.  
"Don't worry, Alex," Emmett said and smiled, his eyes still on the road, "it's only three days."  
"Hmm..." Alex made simply, because that was another point he had been thinking about. Julie was home alone while he was away. Well, not exactly, but Tiffany, Lester and two humans were not exactly what he would call adequate protection for his Omega. He had thought about asking his friends to look after the household, but Chris was the only one whose strength would soothe Alex's instincts. On the other hand, everything in him was reluctant to leave a mate-less male alone with his Omega.

The drive from Lightfall to Whitehill didn't take long, a little over an hour or so, and Alex was quite relieved when they left the highway.  
"Emmett, remember what I told you," Barry said calmly.  
"Yes, Barry." Emmett's response was calm too, but Alex could feel his discomfort.  
"Alex... I want you to go with Allison tonight."  
Alex frowned. "But we're guests of Allison's, so why-"  
"He means the bedroom," Emmett said quietly.  
"Oh. But... but I don't want to."  
"You're unbalanced," Barry said seriously. "I've talked to Julie, and we all know it's no use trying to work it out this way. At the moment, you need a woman who can shift, and since adult females without mates are a rarity, Allison is the obvious option."  
Alex pulled a face. He didn't want Allison, didn't even want to work with her on a purely professional level, but probably Barry was right. The next problem he indirectly mentioned was Alex's future mate. Usually mates were found as teenagers when they reached a certain maturity, and accordingly, Alex's mate - whenever he found one - would probably be a minor girl. He found the idea terrible, downright perverse. And the more he learned about the human world, the more he became aware of how critical the humans saw it and under what pressure Chris had to be in the meantime.

~

 _It's just sex._  
He repeated Emmett's comforting words over and over again, all damn day long.  
He prayed the words down as he was officially wellcomed- with press in the background- in Whitehill and met Edward White.  
He repeated the words as they talked about the agreements, arrangements and procedures that affected all the students- Whitehill had a large university, Lightfall didn't even have a college.  
The words whispered in his head as he wondered why Edward seemed to be avoiding him.  
And he held on to them as they all enjoyed a fantastic dinner together at Allison's in the evening. There was something different about Allison's scent than when they first met, and that irritated Alex even more. It wasn't just the scent of a willing female, but he had no words for it, and since his concentration was not at its best at late hours, he finally found himself in her bedroom.

As if he was just a petty beta, he felt incredibly small and helpless in her presence, under her undivided attention. _It's just sex._  
"You know, it actually hurts to feel your rejection like that," Allison said, looking half over her shoulder because he had stopped right behind the door.  
"I..."  
"Don't you like me?" She pointed to herself and he desperately searched for the right words. Allison was certainly a beautiful woman, in the subdued light of the bedroom her skin even shimmered very attractively, but in addition to her intimidating charisma, it was her shaved bald skull that was anything but attractive. He found long hair beautiful, seductive, loved to feel Julie's hair between his fingers and Allison...

Allison sighed and stepped towards him. "That's a little disappointing, but whatever." Gently she stroked his cheek and he swallowed, pulling himself together so as not to flinch from her touch.  
"Female royals are quite intimidating," he said, suspecting that an honest remark about her non-existent hair would probably not be well received.  
She laughed softly and leaned forward, grazing his cheek with her lips, giving him terrible goose bumps. "You know... most strong men like to let themselves go once in a while." She kissed him right under the ear and he shivered, thought that she and Barry- no, that was the wrong way. He squeezed his eyes shut and put his hands at her waist. Her velvety, sensual purr made him shudder again, but he turned his head toward her as her lips moved across his neck and cheek toward his mouth.  
 _It's just sex. In the past, you didn't care which female you-_  
He growled suppressed and pushed Allison away to undress hastily. In human form, he would certainly not be able to bear her.

~

_The house is awfully quiet without you and Emmett._

**We'll be back tomorrow night.**

_I know. Still._

Behind Alex, Barry was rustling with his papers and grumbling sullenly, Emmett was drumming with his fingers a melody on the steering wheel. In front of them was a car with Edward, behind them Allison's car. The thought of Allison caused Alex a stomach ache, but unfortunately he felt much better despite the rather sleepless night. Calmer, clearer in the mind.

**I was with Allison.**

Although he saw that Julie had read the message and was told that she was still in the conversation, she did not answer. And because this kind of silence dragged on, Alex began to feel that he had made a mistake.

_Okay._

Nothing more, just four simple letters. Okay- what? But as long as he stared at the phone, there was no further answer. Finally he looked for Chris in the conversation list.

**Hey, what does an "okay" mean when it's actually not the right answer?**

_In which context? From whom?_

**Julie. I told her about Allison.**

_Idiot._

**Why? She's gonna know anyway.**

_Idiot, because you don't discuss these things on WhatsApp. It's personal. Seriously, you're wondering about an okay as comment?_

**Yeah, but what does it mean?**

_She is your Omega, you super royal! You should know her better than I do. Angry? Jealous? Disappointed? How should I know. But it doesn't matter, because you're an idiot. You do NOT discuss such things on WhatsApp. Precisely because you have no idea what the mood is on the other end._

Alex growled at the phone, but Chris was absolutely right. And then he frowned.

Chris added you to the group **BOYZ.**

_Let's bury the future of the pack, boys._

_Dude, what kind of name is that?_ It came from Eric.

 _What happened?_ Raj followed.

 _Alex managed to use WhatsApp as a confessional._ Explained Chris.

Alex wasn't quite sure if that was really the right word, but his slowly typed protest got lost in a torrent of messages.

"The fuck is going on?" Emmett murmured, laboriously pulling his permanently vibrating phone out of his pocket to put it aside where it would be less annoying.  
"Chris created a group chat," Alex said, slightly annoyed, while the others more or less made fun of him. Didn't any of them have to work at this time of day?  
"And?"  
"My honesty was laughed at."  
"Your honesty?" Barry interfered with an audible frown.  
"I was just asking Chris an innocent question."  
"Which was?"  
"What an "okay" can mean." Alex got a quick glance from Emmett.  
"Idiot."  
"You don't even know what this is about."  
"You told Julie about Allison, right?"  
"Yeah, but-"  
"Idiot," Barry remarked from behind.  
"What?"  
"Alex, she _knows_. But you don't talk about these things to an absolute Omega. These are facts that exist but are overlooked. For an absolute Omega, the well-being of its Royal is its first priority and it doesn't matter which of their offers you spurn - it's always like a slap in the face."  
"And why doesn't anybody tell me this in advance?" he hissed and reaped silence.  
Finally, with a sigh, Barry said: "I thought my example would be enough for you."  
"Well, you know, I don't really want a bitter Omega by my side, so I thought I'd try the much-praised communication instead."  
The punch hit the mark because Barry took a breath but said nothing.  
"Your honesty in all honor," Emmett said quietly after a while, "but you really should have just _not_ said it. Especially not like that. It's not right for others to laugh at you about it, but they don't know what it means to live for someone else, either."

~

Alex's mood was definitely not the best and his thoughts were focused on Julie and how he could apologize (and what her reaction to that might be) so that he didn't immediately notice that something was wrong.  
They were walking through Owlcreek City Hall, had already reached a richly decorated door, in front of which, as in Lightfall, two security men were posted, when Alex got a scent in his nose that gave him goose bumps. The smell was strangely familiar and that irritated him immensely. The door was opened and the four Royals and their three Betas entered the council chamber and Alex stopped as if rooted.  
Family.  
He blinked in amazement, because apart from Steven Riverside, Mayor of Owlcreek and Royal of the Owlcreek pack, and his Beta, no one unknown was present.  
"Welcome," Steven said with a smile and spread his arms invitingly. "Make yourself at home."  
Why did it smell so much like family in here? And why didn't anyone say anything?  
Steven slowly came closer and extended a hand to Alex, who had already half returned the gesture when he stopped. A fine scent of damp moss and mushrooms, of fog and shy sunbeams tickled Alex's nose and he frowned. The hair was darker, more brown than blonde, the eyes also of a light brown, the face half hidden under a well-groomed dashing beard - and yet Alex suddenly had the feeling of facing an older brother.  
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Steven said and continued to hold out his hand. The tense silence of the others in his back kept Alex from taking a step back.  
"You," that was all Alex could get out and Steven raised his eyebrows. "You!"  
"Me?"  
"You're the fucking Royal who had my mother-" The incipient shift cut Alex off.

It was only when the council chamber was in ruins that Barry called Alex to order with a few words.  
Breathing heavily, Alex stared at the man who, biologically speaking, was his father. Neither of them was in the best of condition and certainly not in the mood for friendly talks and political negotiations.  
"I never want to see you again," Alex said quietly, pushing back the boiling fury in his veins that was now beginning to turn against the others. They had known it. They had known and not told him, and with Edward's pale face, a feeling crept over him that the other Royal had been keeping his mouth shut for months.  
"I'm leaving," Alex announced and - naked as he was - stomped to the door.  
"Where are you going?", Barry asked quietly, curiously, but not blaming or with the intention of holding him back.  
"Home," Alex returned and effortlessly pushed the heavy door open, "home to my family."  
"Alex, wait-"  
"No." He turned halfway around to Emmett and shook his head. "You will stay here and serve our Royal. You can't keep up with me now."  
Emmett looked hurt, but nodded, and Alex turned away.  
He didn't care that everyone at the city hall stared at him in more or less horror. He didn't care that people were hurrying out of his way and even more hurried to open the front door for him. Still on the steps of the city hall, he shifted again, shook himself and began to run.  
The way from Owlcreek to Lightfall was long. But not long enough.


	17. Helpless

He buried his face in his hands, glad that at least the arguing voices of Alex and Barry no longer echoed through the house. He heard Alex rumbling through the house and then slamming the bathroom door. Well, slamming doors were better than flying fur, it was enough for him that Alex and Steven had fought with each other. The ensuing argument between Barry and Alex was more than two weeks old, but still resonated in Emmett's ears. He had been really afraid Alex would attack Barry and tear the pack apart, but Barry's words were enough.  
_"When I'm dead, you can do what you want, but until then, you have to obey."_  
And Alex obeyed. Given the wild strengths of the former nomadic wolf, Emmett was relieved. In exchange, Alex looked for another outlet and that caused other problems elsewhere. The young Royal sought the closeness of his guys and the likewise mate-less Chris had the most time for him, which after two evenings together ended with Alex not coming home. Or, when he came home early in the morning, he stank of sex and human woman. Since then, Emmett hadn't even needed one hand to count how many nights Alex had spent at home. As a result, Julie was miserable and Emmett couldn't even tell if Alex was paying her enough attention to drink her blood. Everyone in the house was tense and Emmett was afraid of the moment the tension would break out.

"Emmett?" Barry knocked on his door and he took a deep breath before lifting his head.  
"Come in."  
Barry opened the door, but stopped with the handle in his hand. "What about Alex's birthday party tomorrow?"  
Emmett shrugged. "The guys and their ladies are coming over. One half wants pizza, the other half wants sushi. Julie and Marge got in a fight over a cake and now they're each making their own." Again he shrugged as Barry looked at him skeptically. The old Royal's expression was unreadable, his scent extremely subdued by sheer willpower, but Emmett knew him well enough to know that he was worried.  
"I'll send the others away."  
"What do you mean?"  
"Marge and Damian and Lester and Tiffany. I didn't want to be here myself, but something tells me this is not a good idea."  
The bathroom door opened and without a word Alex walked down the hall, judging by the sound of footsteps, toward the kitchen.  
"Will you share your worries with me?" Emmett wanted to know and surprised himself a little with the brisk words. Barry sighed and entered, closed the door behind him and leaned against it. He looked tired.  
"Something about the dynamics of this little pack doesn't seem to go right."  
Emmett snorted. "The bond between Garrett and Brittany is beginning to unravel. Raj backs out more and more and Chris... is somehow even more _Chris_ than usual."  
With a sigh, Barry nodded and rubbed his forehead before laughing quietly and without humor. "Here I am already over four hundred years old and still have no idea what is going on or how I could clean up this mess."  
"I... I read that many changes of government are turbulent," Emmett said cautiously and got a wry smile.  
"Yeah... don't ask me how things were in Whitehill when Allison took power. But the chaos in Owlcreek was more because it was all very sudden and Steven was actually..." Barry's voice faded as he drifted into the memories and Emmett frowned anxiously; such moments happened more and more often, confirming his quiet fear that Barry had less time left than he thought.

"Whatever," Barry finally said seriously and nodded. "I want you to keep an eye on the dynamics between the boys. You're right about Garrett and Brittany, and I'd hate to have to..." Again he paused and Emmett raised an eyebrow expectantly. "I would like to see the boys continue to form a unit." _...without any women getting in the way._ Barry didn't say the second part of the sentence, but Emmett knew it was practically hanging in the air.

~

The mood was good, happy, relaxed. They talked, laughed, ate and told stories. Especially Alex told about the nomadic wolves and Emmett was as fascinated like the others, although he knew Alex quite well by now.  
At some point, as the big group dispersed, Emmett talked to Susanna, Patrick's mate, as she nodded past him. He turned briefly to find Patrick sitting on the couch with Julie and, at Susanna's nod, pulled Julie towards him. Julie's scent told everyone how she felt, and Emmett had seen that, in addition to Patrick, Garrett was also giving her thoughtful, worried looks.  
"I wish there was something I could do to help her," Susanna said quietly, and Emmett raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I mean, I have no idea how she really feels, but I imagine my mate rejecting me and that... is a terrible idea."  
"That's probably pretty close to it," he replied and she smiled crookedly.  
"Well... What I really wanted to say was-" Her attempt to resume the old thread of the conversation was interrupted by Raj.  
"Emmett, you got a minute?"  
"Sure. Sorry, Susanna." She nodded and Emmett and Raj stepped out of the living room into the quiet hallway. "What is it?"  
"How are you?" Raj asked, surprising Emmett with this.  
"Well... how do you think I'm doing? You know how Alex is behaving and how Julie is feeling."  
Raj nodded. "The mood is pretty relaxed." He sounded like it was bad and Emmett raised an eyebrow. "Come on, Ems, we all know a bomb's gonna go off here today."  
"I'm not so sure about that."  
"No? Then I seriously wonder what you've been doing with your eyes and nose so far." Something in Raj's face and his suddenly tense scent actually made Emmett nervous.  
"Will you tell me what you know?"  
"Oh, _knowing_ I do nothing." Raj shook his head. "But Chris and Garrett are a little _too_ relaxed for me, Patrick is _too_ concerned about Julie. If I had to guess, I'd say there's a play in the works."  
"The break between Garrett and Brittany," Emmett immediately concluded and Raj shrugged.  
"Sounds logical, doesn't it?"  
A storm of questions popped into Emmett's head. "Where's Alex?"  
"I don't know. But Emmett," Raj held his arm as he tried to move, "I've been thinking about this for five minutes longer than you and something doesn't add up here."  
Emmett nodded, the realization had reached him, too. "There's more than one show happening today."  
Raj let him go and nodded.  
"Barry's here," Emmett said quietly because Raj now seemed seriously concerned.  
"I know. And that reassures me more than it should."

Alex was very obviously not in the living room or the dining room, and when Emmett walked towards the kitchen, a smell got into his nose and gave him goose bumps. _Caruso._ Werewolf liquor. The stuff was distilled from a special plant and was strong enough to get even a Royal well drunk - needless to say, it had a tendency to kill humans. The thing was, Barry had banned Caruso from his house. Everybody knew that, because the stuff was dangerous, or rather drunken werewolves were dangerous. As he entered the kitchen, his eyes fell almost immediately on the small bottle, which seemed almost tiny next to the bottle of vodka. But even this small amount was enough to make the present werewolves- Emmett didn't even want to think about it.  
He grabbed the bottle and noticed horrified that it was two thirds empty.  
"Shit," he murmured and bit his lip. Quickly he poured the rest into the drain and had to cough from the pungent smell, tears shooting into his eyes. "Shit," he repeated and left the kitchen with the intention of telling Barry, but he paused in the hallway.  
Alex leaned against the wall, a predator smile on his face, and flirted very obviously with Brittany, who reached for Alex's hand just that very moment.  
Emmett became nauseous. Alex was hunting and if he interfered now, it would end badly. So he turned on his heel, felt a strange tremor building up inside him, and entered the dining room where Chris had just taken a deck of cards from a box. But Emmett paused, the bottle of Caruso half raised, and a question about it already on his lips when he saw Garrett. Leaning against the dining table, he had pulled his shirt on his right shoulder to the side, rubbed his thumb over his mark, and smiled almost as predatory as Alex. Emmett could watch the mark fade away.  
Show number one.  
"What do you have there? Caruso?" Garrett frowned.  
"Barry will freak if he finds it," Chris added, and Emmett nodded.  
"Who brought it?"  
A double shrug.  
"Hey... before _you_ freak out... I told Alex not to make a drama if Brittany... you know." Garrett straightened his shirt and Emmett nodded again. The strange trembling in his stomach grew stronger and he turned away to really go to Barry this time.

Alex and Brittany had disappeared from the hallway and Barry was much calmer than Emmett had expected.  
"Who brought it?"  
"I don't know."  
"What exactly is going on here?"  
"I don't know, Barry." A strange wave of concern swept over Emmett, and the trembling spread to his hands. Just a few weeks ago he had thought that Alex's little adjustment problems would be easily fixed, but now he felt as if control was trickling through his fingers like fine sand. In the last few days everything seemed to happen around him without involving him. He knew that Julie felt similar about the pack.  
Like an observer.  
Helpless.  
"Make sure things don't escalate too much."  
"I'll do my best."

But it was too late for any kind of de-escalation when Emmett re-entered the living room. The excited tension had been palpable far out into the hallway and he paused as if rooted. The others sat or stood there silently, watching Alex, who stood in the middle with his teeth buried into Julie's neck. The words got stuck in Emmett's throat.  
Garrett seemed disconcertingly content, Raj looked like he was going to run away. Chris nodded barely noticeable at someone, and at that very moment, Julie broke away from Alex.  
Alex growled in protest - the sound actually sounded drunk-slurred - and Chris growled back. Emmett knew what he was, didn't hear the sharp growl of a pissed-off Alpha for the first time, but still flinched and retreated, instinct-driven, as Chris and Alex jumped at each other, shifted under the loud ratcheting of clothes and bit into one another.  
He should have intervened, he knew that, but he had no idea what was going on.  
Julie pressed a hand to her neck, flanked by Patrick and Susanna, and just looked deeply horrified.

Alex and Chris fought like hell, blood covered the fur, the carpet, splashed more than once on the watching werewolves, but nobody made a move while the fight was disturbingly quiet.  
At least until Barry showed up, because then they all flinched.  
Emmett felt like he had failed completely, even though Barry had barely looked at the scene for two seconds and didn't pay any attention to Emmett before he shifted. And then the dark wolf shivered and rose to his hind legs, growing, stretching, deforming until the fighting form of a Royal stood before them.  
Stacy gasped, Thea fainted, and three other human-shaped werewolves howled quietly.  
Emmett had only ever seen this form of combat in drawings and could have done without this real-view, but part of him understood that there was no other way. When Barry gave off a very loud, very aggressive rumble, Alex- a little unsteady on his paws- drove around and Chris collapsed.  
Alex's body trembled, striving for the higher form as well, but Barry took two strangely bouncing steps on his hind legs and struck out with his paw. Anyone else's neck would have been broken, but Alex just sailed through the air, crashed into a display case, and lay motionless - but clearly breathing.

"Who," Barry rumbled, without taking on human form again, "who brought the Caruso?"  
Silence.  
"Which idiot was it?"  
"A-Alex bought it," Brittany said intimidated. Emmett, whose insides were suddenly ice cold and numb, couldn't really believe it, but on the other hand, who had the courage to lie flat to his Royal in combat form?  
Julie shivered in Patrick's arms and stared at Alex as if she wanted to run to him, but she didn't move.  
Chris shifted back, coughing, choking, spitting blood on the carpet, and then braced himself into a sitting position. "Mr. Brick, sir..." he gasped and writhed, "I need to talk to you."  
"Not now. You will leave now, all of you."  
"It's important, sir," Chris insisted, raising his head. A very nasty split in his right eyebrow just closed up.  
"I said _not now_ , Mr. Rutherford." Barry turned away, took these strange steps to Alex and picked him up.  
"Please go," Emmett heard himself say. He cleared his throat and then looked at everyone; at Raj's, his gaze lingered a moment longer, for he was holding his unconscious mate in his arms and seemed strangely disgusted.  
"Please," Emmett repeated quietly, but it was not until Barry left the room with Alex that anyone moved.

~

"What have you got there?"  
Emmett looked up as Julie entered Alex's bedroom with a package in her hand. Barry frowned ominously and Julie trembled. She glanced over to Alex, who was lying in his bed as a human, either unconscious or asleep, and then said quietly:  
"It's from Steven. For Alex."  
Barry's frown deepened and he took the package, tore it open and stopped. "Oh no...," he muttered, and once again a heavy cold lump formed in Emmett's stomach.  
"What's inside?," he asked quietly, but Barry got up from the edge of the bed, put the package on a dresser, and then pulled out a letter.  
"They lied to him," he finally said.  
"Who?" asked Emmett, and Julie asked at the same time:  
"To what extent?"  
"The _Rustling Leaves_ have lied to Alex all these years..." But that's all Barry said, and when Emmett smelled old blood and musty leaves, he didn't want to know for sure.  
"We should leave him alone for a little while," Barry then said, shooing Emmett and Julie out with a curt gesture.

"Ems..."  
"Hmm?"  
Julie pulled him into her room by his wrist and pushed the door shut. She was still trembling, but seemed altogether much calmer than in the living room. "What's wrong with Chris?"  
Irritated by the question, Emmett looked at her. "I'd be more interested to know what's going on. Who's been planning what with whom?"  
"I don't know," she said bitterly. "But Alex sure as hell didn't buy the Caruso on his own. We were there when Barry warned him about this stuff. But that's not the main problem. Garrett and Brittany are not the main problem." She was probably in some way in shock, because she backed away from him as he tried to hug her.  
"Well, then what?" he asked quietly.  
"Alex called out for my wolf," she whispered, and Emmett looked at her without understanding.  
"I don't get it."  
"Chris told me earlier that night that whatever Alex was up to, I shouldn't let it happen."  
Emmett still didn't understand.  
"I think Alex would have forced a shift on me... but why did Chris intervene?"  
"I didn't even know that was possible," Emmett said stunned, and Julie shrugged helplessly. Forcing a shift on someone was possible, of course, but with an _absolute Omega_?  
"When Chris said good-bye, he said _'I wanted to protect you. You know what I am, and what they say about me.'_ What did he mean by that?"  
"I don't know," Emmett muttered. He had used that phrase far too often in the last hours, but his brain was bubbling. " _Do_ you know what he is?" he asked quietly and she shook her head.  
"I'm not even sure what he was referring to."  
Well, _humans_ gossiped that Chris was gay and therefore alone, but homosexuality did not exist among werewolves. And if there was, Chris would probably be the first gay werewolf in history. But Emmett didn't express that thought, because this wasn't what it was about.  
"Chris is an emergency alpha, as far as I know. Before there were Royals, they were the ones who took over the pack when the Alpha couldn't lead for some reason."  
"Then this species is useless now," Julie said irritated, and Emmett shrugged.  
"Probably." But that wasn't the whole truth. There was a second species of Beta-Alpha wolves, but he certainly wouldn't share that thought with Julie.  
Because if he was right, they were heading for disaster.


	18. Breakpoint

Alex slipped into the dark blue shirt and stepped in front of the mirror while buttoning it up. His gaze followed his fingers, which slid over the buttons and then rolled up the sleeves a bit, wiped a thread from the light gray jeans and then straightened the collar.   
Was that really him? Was he the man whose blonde hair boldly fell into the blue eyes? Was that him who brushed over his shirt like he had done over a woman's body a few nights earlier? Or was he not rather the wolf who attacked his friend or his father without hesitation because they were a threat?   
If he was honest, he had no idea who he actually was. He had a name, sure, a family- a biological one and a chosen one- but everything around him felt so unreal, as if he didn't belong here.

What had happened a few days ago on his self-chosen birthday was mostly as if under a fog. And he also felt as if he was standing in the middle of fog which blocked his vision and confused his senses.   
Chris confused him.   
Julie confused him.   
That Barry and Emmett talked _about_ him but not _with_ him confused him.   
And not least, his own behavior.   
This man- Steven, his father- seemed to look at him in the mirror and he backed off a little.   
_"You need distraction. Something, someone who has absolutely nothing to do with all this. Something where you don't have to think or make decisions."_ Chris was the one who had first called him an idiot and then dragged him to a popular singles bar. Chris, who had attacked him for drinking Julie's blood in front of everyone. Chris, who was somehow different, somehow dangerous. If someone like Chris could have such an influence on him, was he allowed to trust him? How much was Chris to blame for the fact that he and Julie suddenly treated each other as if they were separated by glass walls?

He saw through the mirror Emmett entering the room. The dark green jeans and light-colored, coarse-woven shirt weren't really Emmett's style at all, but when he rolled up his sleeves, it didn't look so bad. Without a word, Emmett approached, turned Alex halfway around by the shoulders and then re-rolled his sleeves before undoing the top button of the shirt.   
"Don't make that face."   
"I don't feel like some kind of happy festival."   
"I know. Me neither, honestly, but you must show up there."   
"Why?"   
"Because Barry was there the first day and today is the last day. Because the last day is traditional for young werewolves."   
Now Alex sighed. "All right, well..." Again he looked in the mirror and made a particularly unwilling grimace, just as he saw Julie standing in the doorway. The merging shades of vibrant blue and turquoise of her dress reminded Alex of one of the lakes on the pack's route and he turned to her. Her hair was pinned up and his fingers itched to loosen all the clips and clasps to bury his nose in it.   
_"Mine,"_ growled a low voice somewhere deep inside him, angry that his claim to ownership was not as clear as it should be.   
"See you later," she said, nodding more to Emmett than to him.   
"But-"   
"I'm being picked up." At that moment, the doorbell rang and she hurried away in clacking heels. Emmett sighed.   
"You should've complimented her instead of looking at her as if she were bothering you."   
"I... What? But I didn't..." Alex closed his mouth again and Emmett failed miserably in his attempt to give him a smile.   
"Just fix it, okay?"   
"How?"   
"How do I know? I have no clue about these things. I just know it's definitely your time to act."   
Alex ran his fingers through his hair and looked in the mirror again, saw again Steven in his face.   
Suddenly it took him a lot of effort not to hit the mirror.

~

"You look great."   
Julie grinned up at Garrett with a joy she did not feel. "Thank you." She winked at him and then turned around herself, her dress puffing up and the petticoats rustling.   
"Where did you leave Alex and Emmett?"   
"They'll catch up." The thought of being locked up in such a small space like the car with Alex, feeling his disinterest, was terribly painful, so Patrick and Susanna had picked her up beforehand. "Where are you staying now?" she wanted to know and Garrett grinned crookedly.   
"With Andy. He has the most room." The day after the bond was broken, Garrett had packed his bags.   
Julie nodded and then let her eyes wander over the festival area. The Harvest Festival was relatively small and traditional, no colorful blinking roller coasters and the like, but more a market for all kinds of goodies and crafts, with live music and a big dance floor. And today, on the last of the five days, the young werewolves traditionally met here, many traveled from Whitehill and Owlcreek especially for this purpose; especially the very young ones, who were just old enough to find a mate.

Raj, who had been standing a bit indecisively halfway between Julie and Garrett on one side and Thea and Susanna- who were standing at a booth with wooden jewelry- on the other side, made his decision and approached Julie and Garrett.   
"Hey...," Julie said and he smiled weakly.   
"Good evening. Quite a crowd."   
"Well, the little ones have to go to bed soon." Garrett grinned as a group of teenagers passed them giggling foolishly. He had a point. The evening would belong to the young couples, most of whom stopped coming here as soon as the first pup arrived.   
"You have to try this," Patrick shouted as he approached and bit into something from which some orange sauce was dripping.   
"And what-"   
Loud cheering interrupted Raj's question and Julie half turned around. The others, who must have all more or less met in the parking lot, arrived as a large group and the feeling, the smell of the pack warmed Julie's heart.

~

Alex nodded at Garrett. "If you're afraid of getting too much on the nerves of Andy and his family, let me know. We have plenty of room."   
Garrett nodded back. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm afraid I have to sleep on the couch at Chris' and Patrick's first." He grinned and Alex looked over to Chris who stood tense at the edge of the group with his hands buried in his pockets.   
"Come on, guys, don't stand around, enjoy it," Eric said happily, one arm around Stacy.   
"No rush, man...", Andy returned relaxed, but Stacy shook her head.   
"This is our last festival."   
All the others immediately became silent and Alex watched a little confused as Eric and Stacy started to grin and then Thea, Meggie and Susanna screamed.   
"Oh my god! Congratulations!"   
The sudden silence turned into excited chaos just as suddenly and Alex realized that Stacy was pregnant. A smile crept up on his face and while Stacy explained it would be coming in the spring, he patted Eric on the shoulder before stepping aside a bit. He was happy for the two of them, very happy indeed, but there was also a little bit of envy, and his gaze was looking for Julie. At first, her smile seemed honest, but Alex knew her well enough to see some discomfort. Was she jealous? Or was she afraid that he, as her Royal, would force a pup on her?

"Hey, you got a minute?", Chris wanted to know, his hands still buried in his pockets.   
Alex nodded. "Sure..."   
They moved away even further. Alex could feel the tension in Chris, an anxious restlessness, and asked:  
"What's wrong?"   
"I wanted to apologize first," Chris replied with a lowered gaze and Alex nodded.   
"It's okay. And next?"   
"I... I've already talked to Barry, but you're as much my Royal, so..." he took a deep breath, "well, I guess you don't realize what I am, do you?"   
A little unsure, Alex shook his head. He had asked Emmett about it, but had received a very evasive answer and left it at that - Emmett didn't look like he was going to tell Alex the truth on another question.   
"A battle-Alpha." Now Chris raised his eyes and Alex saw for a tiny moment a very powerful wolf flashing in him. "This type of werewolf is extremely rare and is considered a bad omen. Until you showed up, it didn't affect me much, although Barry included me in his security team to keep an eye on me in case of emergency, but now...", he took another deep breath and this time it felt like he was wrestling with his wolf inside. "It's as if a thunderstorm is about to break out at any moment."   
"How dangerous are you?", Alex wanted to know after a moment of consideration and leaned back a little, his head tilted.   
"I don't know. I don't really want to know."   
"It sounds like a _but_..."   
Chris nodded thoughtfully and looked to the side where the group of friends had separated. Julie and Patrick were talking to three teenagers and Alex noticed that Chris' gaze was also on her.   
"I need Julie."   
"Excuse me?" Alex asked in amazement and swallowed an angry growl.   
"You know what she did for Garrett and Patrick, don't you? Most Omegas have a calming effect, but she is different. Stronger. Maybe it's because she's an absolute Omega, I don't know."   
"You can't have her," Alex interrupted him, a faint rumble had crept into his voice nonetheless.   
"I don't _want_ her, Alex, I _need_ her. My wolf will need her and the way he is fighting me, probably soon. I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry that-"   
"She's _mine_ , Chris," Alex said sharply and Chris nodded. For Alex's taste, he didn't show the appropriate reaction given that he had just annoyed a Royal.   
"My wolf tried to stop you from hurting her but he thinks differently than I do and-"   
"What nonsense! _You_ are the wolf. You did-"   
Chris raised his hands apologetically and took a step back. "You don't understand, Alex. I know you have every right in the world about Julie, but I can't fight all those instincts!" Chris was probably right, because Alex really didn't quite understand what he was getting at, but his own instincts told him that he had to defend his Omega. Chris raised his hands a little higher and took another step back. "Ask Barry about this if you don't believe me, okay? I'm gonna go now."   
Alex clenched his jaws together and nodded slightly.

~

Julie laughed and punched George in the shoulder. "You're just as big a jerk as ever."   
He smiled. "I can't be that big of a jerk if I made it all the way to my Royal's antechamber."   
" _Second secretary_ , you show-off. How's it going over there?" She didn't ask her former classmate, who had left Lightfall for his mate, about said mate- she knew they had broken up a while ago in a very ugly way.   
George shrugged. "The rumor mill was already rumbling before the official visit, after all, almost everyone followed what was going on here in Lightfall. Change of government is not something you see every day."   
"Your change of government was less than thirty years ago," she objected and he shrugged once more.  
"So what? However, the first voices were raised quite quickly that Steven and Alexander had a certain resemblance, and now the question arises, of course, how come that our Royal has a son in a nomadic pack."   
"Fair question."   
"Do you have an answer for me?"   
"Pups are made through sex, George. But Alex's mother had a mate."   
George made a face and let his eyes wander. "I think I'm gonna come home. I don't want to serve a Royal like him."   
Julie nodded thoughtfully and then looked over to Alex, who was talking with Emmett and another young man.  
"Is he good to you?"   
Her eyes twitched briefly to George and then back to Alex.   
"I mean... I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't," George continued cautiously, and she frowned.   
"What do you mean?"   
"Even without knowing that Steven has apparently assaulted a female with a mate... he is not exactly gentle or reserved about that."   
"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree?"   
He shrugged and she shivered. It was somewhat ironic that Alex tried to calm his anger towards his father by turning to women.

~

"Who is that?" Alex wanted to know and nodded towards Julie. Emmett sighed grumpy.  
"George... A friend from high school. Now lives in Owlcreek."   
"You don't seem very enthusiastic."   
"No. We don't like each other very much," Emmett admitted, and Alex once again looked attentively at the tall lanky werewolf with the silly- looking whiskers. A solid beta.   
"Julie seems to like him," he said slowly and Emmett rolled his eyes.   
"You should have noticed by now that there is practically no male werewolf who doesn't like Julie, and vice versa, almost the same can be said. The two of them had some pretty good projects in school, but as far as I know, the contact kind of fell asleep after he left."   
Alex nodded thoughtfully.  
"Hey..."   
He looked at Emmett with a raised brow.   
"Are you gonna fix things with Julie...?"   
"Yes, of course."   
"Then don't keep making that grim face. Go up to her, tell her how great she looks and then dance with her. Do something!"   
"She doesn't look like she wants my company," Alex returned, and Emmett rolled his eyes towards the sky.   
"Good God, do you realize what you've done?"  
"This thing with Allison-"   
"This has nothing to do with Allison! It had to be, and she knows it as well as you or I do. But all the others..."   
"You said an Omega has to accept this and there is no talking about it." It sounded kind of defiant and Alex knew that somehow it hadn't gone quite right, but it had happened. And it wasn't as if he hadn't enjoyed it. There were some very nice memories, but when he looked at Julie now, those memories tasted like earth. It was as if Allison had broken a spell that Julie had woven around him, thoroughly blinding him in the process in a new and different way than before. Now his senses became clear again and what they told him hurt.  
"Alex...," Emmett said earnestly, yet strangely gently, "an Omega has to accept that she's not _the only one_ , but if you don't want her _at all_ , you have to say so."   
"She's mine, Emmett. Of course I want her." Alex frowned and watched as Julie and George strolled to one of the food stations. They talked and laughed.   
"Then why are you ignoring her and her efforts?" Emmett wanted to know, and Alex got a headache while searching for an answer. He hadn't ignored her on purpose, but the more he rummaged around in his head, the less he could grasp what he had been thinking. He tried to describe his thoughts to Emmett and his expression suddenly became very serious and almost closed off. And then they remained silent, still standing in the same place, and watched together as Julie and George finally went to dance.   
Alex struggled to contain his flaring jealousy and Emmett said quietly:   
"Go to her. Talk to her. Because she definitely won't approach you again. And then talk to Barry tomorrow. Tell him the same thing you just told me."   
Alex nodded and kept watching Julie dance with George. Their eyes met for a moment, but another couple rushed in between, and Alex felt as if someone had glued him to the ground, unable to go over and claim what was rightfully his.

~

Julie was extremely happy- until she looked over to Alex, who seemed to watch her blankly. She couldn't be angry with him, her nature wouldn't allow it, but she was hurt, disappointed, alone, and everything inside her cried out for his attention. Heavens, she had even presented herself naked to him, but he hadn't given her a proper look. It didn't even have to be sexual attention, no, but a nice compliment on her dress would have been nice too.   
Instead, he looked at her as if her presence here would disturb him. He didn't care that she was dancing with another man, flirting with him; instead, he talked seriously all evening with Emmett and here and there with one of their friends.

When she got tired, she and George sat down on a bench. He laughed out of breath and then shook his head.   
"I haven't had so much fun for quite a long time."   
Julie, also a little out of breath from dancing, nodded silently. She had wanted to dance with Alex, had bought that confounded dress because it reminded her so much of his eyes, but she didn't get more than cool stares. She shivered in the crisp evening air and George rubbed her back.   
"You should get a jacket. Or have some tea. The one with the spices from earlier was good..." He was warm and she moved a little closer. For the first time she noticed that she disliked his scent.   
How much indifference Alex might feel towards her? What would he let her get away with? She didn't have to obey his orders, just had to suffer his punishments, but she had never made use of this dubious advantage of the Omegas. He did not want her, right?   
"Hey, is everything all right?" George wanted to know quietly and worriedly tilted his head.   
"Yeah." She smiled up at him shyly until he smiled too, and then she bent over to kiss him.

~

Alex didn't really notice who he was talking to and about what. He struggled much more with himself and came to the bitter realization that he was a battle-ready wolf and at the same time a pretty cowardly man. At some point Emmett nudged him.   
"It's now or never."   
Julie and George left the dance floor after what felt like an eternity and Alex nodded, although Julie didn't look like she had the energy for another dance.   
"Count to ten and then kick my ass," he murmured; Emmett's crooked smile actually gave him courage.   
But that very smile slipped when Emmett got to the seven and an eight didn't follow at all, but his expression changed to horror. Alex followed his gaze and growled even before he really understood what he was seeing. George touched Julie on the cheek, her hand was on his thigh and they kissed.   
Alex rumbled, quiet and elongated, and felt his body vibrate, felt waves of heat rolling over him and when he shook his head, his spine cracked.   
"Alex!" Emmett tried to get in his way, but Alex pushed him aside. More in passing, he noticed that his arm ended with a paw and sharp claws which he ran across Emmett's chest with his inattentive gesture. The pain-filled gasp merged with the background noises.   
He growled again, this time loud and clear, and set himself in motion with slow, strangely swaying steps, looking at Julie, who turned to him with big eyes, and then George, who clearly panicked. His fingers twitched and this movement seemed to be enough to make George jump up, but he almost immediately fell backwards over the bench.   
"Alex, don't!" Again, Emmett - why was he suddenly so small? - stood in his way and again, Alex simply pushed him aside. Julie had also gotten up from the bench, but was just standing there with big eyes, as if paralyzed, and he walked over to her, looked at her probing, bent over to sniff her, and grumbled grimly at the fact that she smelled of this guy. He had to change that, but for the moment there were more urgent matters.   
Meanwhile George had picked himself up and the smell of urine was getting into Alex's nose. A hand gripped his arm.   
"That wasn't the ass-kicking we agreed on," Emmett said seriously, but Alex shook him off without giving him a glance.   
"You," he said to George, and his voice scratched in a way that made his anger even more intense, "fight back."


	19. (too few) Answers

Emmett tore himself laboriously away from the sticky fingers of Alex's nightmare and sat up with a painful groan. He couldn't say when he last had a dream of his own, but by now he was quite good at getting away from the things that were none of his business, that he didn't want to know, that weren't _his_ fears. That was the downside of the extremely close blood bond.

The advantage was that he was still alive. Alex's blood- however small the amount was- made him stronger, more resistant, made him heal faster, because normally even a werewolf rarely survived a broken spine. But what did he actually complain about? The pain would be gone and forgotten in a day or two and was nothing compared to death.   
Because Alex had killed.   
Besides George, three other werewolves had fallen victim to his claws and fangs before Emmett and the others could keep him at bay until Barry arrived. Had the basic situation been a little different - Barry would have killed Alex. Rightly so. But Barry could not afford to lose his heir and moreover Emmett wasn't even sure if Barry would have succeeded at all.

Suppressing another moan, Emmett stood up, his back protesting and his legs trembling, his right ankle- just a mauled mass last night- sending sharp waves of pain up to his hips. He hobbled to the door and paused. The house was silent. Julie was banished to her room until Alex would punish her, and Alex himself slept, as Emmett already knew. Marge and Damian had been sent away. Emmett couldn't tell where Tiffany was, but Lester was out with Barry; they would be back late, and therefore Emmett disobeyed his bed rest order. He needed answers.

Slowly he went up to Barry's study and entered. Of course, he had often been here alone, sometimes for hours, absorbed in books or Barry's own notes, so that he could serve his Royal well one day, but this time he was here without permission. And of all things, the locked bookcase interested him.   
"Forgive me, Barry," he murmured soundlessly and pulled the key for the bookcase from a compartment of the desk. The doors of the bookcase squeaked quietly as he pulled them open, and the strange smell of old books tickled his nose. Many of the spines of the books had already faded considerably, but he had a rough idea what he was looking for and finally picked out **'About the Special Aspects of the Werewolf Species'**. Unfortunately, the book had no table of contents, but at least the name of the chapter was written very small on each page, which at least made it easier to leaf through. First, he stumbled over the Battle-Alphas and paused there.

_About the Beta Werewolf, which is known as the Battle-Alpha because of its peculiarity, we know very little due to its rarity. Like the Beta known as the Emergency Alpha, this one also has in common that it can leave its basic form as a beta by inducement and become an Alpha.  
However, a Battle-Alpha differs in some essential things: first of all, it is always and only a male that develops normally, but does not find a mate after maturity. Usually, it is the weakest female of the pack that sparks the interest and above all the protective instinct, which is not seldom-_

"Interesting reading?"   
Emmett gasped in shock and almost dropped the heavy book when suddenly Barry was standing in the doorway. "Barry... you said you'd be out late." Emmett felt uncomfortably caught and bit his lip.   
"The conversations with the families of the dead were almost painfully brief," Barry replied gloomily. "You should be in bed, not out here wandering around."   
"I know," Emmett murmured shamefully and put the book back on the shelf. "I'm sorry."   
"Is it really so hard to wait until I'm dead and you can access all these books?"   
"I'm sorry, Barry, I didn't mean.. I mean... I just want answers." Suddenly Emmett was overwhelmed with himself, the situation and everything. Tears welled up in his eyes. He had no idea how to be a good service beta, especially for a Royal like Alex, and despite years of preparation and learning, he felt inadequate.   
"Come here...," Barry said softly and to Emmett's surprise, with arms outstretched. Like a child, he threw himself into the hug and sobbed.   
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Barry, I feel like I could've done something to stop this."   
Barry sighed deeply into his hair and stroked his back. "You? Probably not. Me? For sure."   
"But-"   
"What kind of answers were you hoping to find here?"   
"I... Something about Chris. And... and why Alex and Julie are so weird. And... just something." Emmett sniffed, vaguely aware that he was crying on one of Barry's expensive suits, and wiped his sleeve over his face as Barry gently pushed him away.   
"Sit down," he said quietly.

"Shall we start with Chris?" Barry then asked and Emmett nodded simply. "What do you know about him?"   
"I guess he's not an Emergency Alpha like I thought, but a Battle Alpha."   
Barry nodded.   
"Is it true that they're an omen for war?" Just asking the question gave Emmett goose bumps.   
"An omen for sure, after all, they're born to a certain Royal, just like you. But they are no guarantee of that. At least I hope so, I only met one in my youth and he died relatively young." But there was still concern on Barry's face, and Emmett shuddered. "The problem is," Barry continued after a pause, "that Alex, Steven and Allison don't get along with each other and both were already more or less in power when Alex was born. Edward is getting old, he told me already a few years ago that his heir will come soon. Once Alex is in power, the triad of cities will break up."   
Emmett knew that the predecessor of Barry's predecessor had created this peace treaty, and since then this area has been as quiet as you can rarely find anywhere else. "But surely new treaties and agreements will be negotiated, won't they?" Emmett asked quietly- he found it hard to imagine Alex and Steven sitting down at the same table, and even Barry looked at him skeptically.   
"Hopefully. But we have a Battle-Alpha in our midst. We have three young hot-headed Royals. Dysfunctional relationships. Misunderstandings. Hormones. Lies and more problems." Barry sighed and shook his head.   
Emmett bit his lip again, thought about the fight between Alex and Steven in his council chamber and finally dared to ask: "What do you expect?"   
With his face distorted, Barry averted his gaze. "Chris is restless. He needs Julie and tries to keep Alex away from her, which is a pretty stupid idea, but he can't know that. Alex is a powder keg with a short fuse in several respects and I really don't want to be around when this blows up."   
"What... what do you mean?" Emmett almost whispered the words, because suddenly he got cold. "What's so different about Julie? What can't Chris know?"   
"You tell me. Look at Julie and Alex objectively and then tell me," Barry asked him and Emmett lowered his eyes.

"If it weren't impossible, I would say Alex and Julie are mates," he said after a period of silence. There were Alex's extreme possessiveness and protective instincts. His dreams were filled with Julie and pups. When he bit Julie, his instincts kicked in in a way that was completely excessive. And then there was the boomerang effect. When mates resisted their bond, the mate pull subsided for a while - sometimes disappearing completely - before returning with full force. Julie had provoked Alex - and he had killed for her after she had been like air to him for a while. Emmett had already encountered this phenomenon in a weaker form with Garrett and Brittany.

"It's not impossible," Barry said softly. "Tell me, what is the nature of the relationship between the mates?"   
Emmett looked at him irritated. "What do you mean? The... The power dynamic?"   
Barry nodded.   
"Well... they balance each other out. Alpha and omega. Strong beta and weak beta. But that doesn't apply to Royals."   
"And what kind of mate would an absolute Omega have?"   
"An absolute Alpha, but-" Emmett's eyes got big. "Royals are absolute Alphas," he whispered and Barry nodded.   
"A Royal can have any werewolf as a mate because _all_ are subordinate to him. But an absolute Omega... needs absolute strength. And since an absolute omega rarely meets more than one or two Royals in its lifetime, it was decided a long, long time ago that they would officially have no mate. To spare them suffering. To make their duty more bearable."   
A little surprised, Emmett blinked at the tabletop. "Why didn't you say so, if you knew?" he wanted to know and tried not to think about the fact that yesterday's disaster didn't have to happen.   
"Because mates have to find each other on their own. And that goes even for exceptions like this one."   
"But four werewolves died, Barry!"   
"I know. And I'm very sorry about it, but I still play by the rules: Mates find each other alone."   
"But-"   
"No, Emmett, no _buts_." Barry gave him a serious look, and Emmett sank back into the chair. "That's one point," Barry then said, again calm. "You can tell Alex that he has the strength to force a shift on Julie, but how he uses that knowledge is up to him. A second point is Chris. Battle Alphas are attracted to Omegas and Julie is the weakest Omega in the pack, weaker even than Tiffany. He needs her - not sexually, don't get me wrong - but as a resting place, as a balance. And now imagine Alex, who wants to protect his Omega-mate from a male like Chris."   
"But if Alex kills Chris, then-"   
"If the three Royals really do get into such a fierce fight that war breaks out, Alex will be dependent on Chris. And Chris will need Julie to avoid running amok." Barry said this so calmly that the enormity of what he was saying only slowly got through to Emmett. "Do you understand that?"   
"But we can't keep Alex and Julie away from each other just because there's a chance that maybe, eventually, in a few years, three Royals will be at each other's throats," Emmett protested weakly.   
Barry sighed and then smiled mildly. "What you do when I'm dead is your business... but until then: _keep silent, my child, for misery is looming_."


	20. Punishment or Reward?

Alex paused at the open door of Barry's bedroom. He had never seen the door open before and was surprised by the warm shades of yellow and orange shining inside. Barry stood in front of a huge mirror and put on a shiny gold tie; he was wearing a different suit than before and Alex wondered for a moment why.   
"What is it?" Barry wanted to know. His tone of voice was strange, somehow inappropriately soft, considering what Alex had done. His wolf's ears twitched, his wolf's tail, which was pressing down on the waistband of his shorts, grazed his leg - he couldn't let either of them disappear from inner tension.  
"I... um..." He reached for the door frame and lowered his gaze.   
Patiently Barry waited.   
"Emmett told me that I can force Julie to shift, is that true?" Alex finally asked and Barry nodded.   
"Yes, it's true. But you must lead the shift in both directions."   
Alex nodded, he had already thought so. He didn't want to punish Julie in any way, because he understood very well that she was already punished enough with the guilt. But a certain punishment he still had to impose. "I... I thought I could let her be a wolf for an indefinite time... so... that maybe she would see my sight... well..." The idea seemed incredibly stupid to him and Barry's fine smile didn't make it any better.   
"You want to give her the view of a wolf?"  
Alex made a helpless gesture.   
"Is this really a punishment or is it more of a reward?"   
"I don't know," Alex murmured. "Sometimes I don't really know to what extent she really is part of it. Wants to be a part of it."   
"Hmm," Barry thoughtfully made. He stroked his suit, tugging at his collar. "It would be interesting to find out."   
"I should, I _must_ punish her, but I don't want to, and I don't know how." How could Alex take care of it properly when he himself was still completely shocked to have killed four werewolves? For one - soberly considered - silly kiss.   
Barry smiled differently now, warmer, and stepped up to Alex. Although Alex had grown in all directions, the old Royal was still a little taller and although it wasn't much, Alex still felt like looking up at him when Barry put a hand to his cheek.   
"Jurisdiction is a lousy field full of tripping hazards. But rules are always bent, laws are always broken, a blind eye is always turned. Soon your word will be law for all the over twenty thousand souls of Lightfall. But to punish your Omega, the woman you feel so strongly for..." Barry paused and Alex wondered which terrible decisions Barry had had to make. He felt understood and maybe...maybe in that moment Barry was what a father should be. He vehemently put aside the thought of Steven or Rick.   
"Do what you think is right. After all, you have to live with the decision too."   
Alex nodded. He would have to discuss everything else with himself or Emmett.

~

Alex knocked on Julie's door and just walked in. It was hard to watch her almost fall out of bed in her haste, wiping tears from her face, and then kneeling on the floor in front of him. Head bowed down obsequiously, hands trembling, she was a little Omega at that moment, no more, no less.   
But not for Alex. He wanted to take her in his arms, comfort her and let her comfort him, cry with her and actually talk to her. Talk, as a human being. He was aware that he could have handled it differently- a certain wild part of him even wanted that- but he was no longer a wild wolf who had to convey his strength and dominance through pain and humiliation, as he had been shown. The wild, dark part, which growled _'You don't want me? Never mind, I'll take you anyway'_ he locked away. He was better than that.

"Julie, look at me."   
She raised her eyes, so full of fear. He could see it and smell it, and he sensed that she was afraid of this very wild part, although he had never used it before, even in his nomadic days.   
"Come along."   
Uncertain, she stood up, trembling and shaking, but followed him into his bedroom. The patio door was open and the cool air brushed over his bare legs.   
"Get undressed."   
Her gaze flitted to the bed and he shook his head.   
"I won't force you to."   
"But..." Uncertain, she looked at him and again he shook his head before he took off his shorts and threw them to the side. Hesitantly she undressed, shy, ashamed, although her body really didn't need to hide. He would have liked to touch her, take her in his arms and kiss her, but he probably wouldn't be able to stop once he started, and that was not what he had in mind.   
"Sit down."   
Confused, she sat down on the floor and he sat down beside her. He was afraid that the first shift would literally sweep her off her feet.   
"It will probably hurt..." he said seriously and put a hand on her neck as if he was grabbing a pup.   
She nodded and goose bumps covered her, but like a pup she held still and he closed his eyes.

It took a while until he got a hold of the essence of her wolf deep inside her. Small and frightened, but still with a spark of admiration for him. He used exactly that spark to lure her out and convince her, slowly and carefully. Then came the point where Julie began to fight back, taking advantage of her omega existence, and he had no choice but to drag the wolf within her to the surface with the full force of a Royal.

She was small. Small and dainty, the fur in the same chestnut brown as her hair, with some darker, almost black spots on her neck and tail. Whimpering and whining she struggled with the unknown shape and Alex stroked her back reassuringly.   
"Shh..." he did gently and she calmed down. And then he could almost watch something snap into place. She seemed to wrinkle her nose and sat up, almost proudly raising her head and placing her tail neatly beside her. The sight made him smile.   
"You are beautiful."   
In response, she tilted her head strangely, in a way that expressed skepticism rather than acceptance, and he grinned. And then he laughed, surprising himself, but suddenly he was happy. It took him an effort not to directly shift himself, to run with her afterwards, to romp around, to take her...   
Her soft rumble made him stop. She radiated something that reminded him of Allison, a certain dignity, but much finer, more delicate, more fragile. He had met his friends' mates in wolf form as well, but none of them were like Julie, so strangely sublime, so...stunning. Like Allison, she had the power to make him feel so small, to make him want to curl up at her feet, but unlike the female Royal, she radiated a need for protection that put him on permanent alert.

Julie made a soft, questioning sound and he bit his lip briefly.   
"I don't know exactly what I want to achieve with this, but... I want you to be a wolf for a while."   
She lowered her head devotedly.   
He hesitated for a moment, but then shook his head, scratched her neck - she didn't seem to be able to decide whether to enjoy it or avoid his touch - and then stood up.   
"We're going out."   
Her first steps were a little unsteady, but as she walked across the terrace and then stepped onto the lawn, she had caught herself.   
Carefully, he pulled the door shut behind him and watched for a moment as she looked around, observing the area with new eyes and a new nose. He smiled and shifted.

~

At first it felt as if her innermost self had been turned inside out, but now Julie felt as if she was in a costume. The werewolves differentiated between themselves and their wolf and quite a few had reacted irritated when Alex insisted that it was nonsense. Now she understood why- there was no wolf for her, no other personality, as Emmett and the others described it, there was only Julie. She was herself, just different.   
And the longer she walked around with Alex, exploring different places and areas, the less she liked it. She didn't feel well. Alex noticed, of course he did, but he kept barking invitations, nudging her encouragingly or rubbing his muzzle against her. It felt wrong, although _wrong_ was already the wrong word.

It had become dark. The wolfish night vision was fascinating, but not fascinating enough to disguise hunger, thirst and tiredness. She had vomited several times last night and hardly ate anything today; shifts consumed energy and she ran out of it. But Alex noticed this too, for whom she seemed like an open book. He asked her to wait - strange how the sounds suddenly made intuitive sense - and she lay down on the grass with her head on her paws. She wanted to go home, eat pasta, drink tea and then curl up in bed, preferably with a book in her hand. She wanted Alex to be with her, because she felt quite lost without him and wondered for a frightening second if he would leave her alone - maybe so she would have to find her way back home alone.   
But then he showed up again and the smell of blood stung her nose. He laid a dead rabbit in front of her, pushed the little body a little further in her direction with his snout and then looked at her expectantly.   
She understood the gesture, a small part of her felt flattered for some silly reason, but basically, she just got sick. Fighting it, she put one paw on the rabbit - inside the house she took care of him, outside here it was the other way around. It was good, normal, right, but at the same time...   
A pitiful sound escaped from her, she wanted to cry and never return to this form, but Alex interpreted it differently, because he carefully tore the rabbit apart for her. She looked at him and something inside her gave way. She was his Omega. The small, hidden, animal part of her knew this, better than her human consciousness; she understood what he expected, demanded, wanted from her, and she perhaps only now fully understood that she could never have the _man_ if she did not accept the _wolf_ \- her own wolf.

She felt like an actress when she nudged Alex with her snout. Nevertheless, she followed the impulse to lick some blood from his flews and he acknowledged this with a very pleased sound.   
Slowly she turned to the dead rabbit. Raw meat- Sushi was raw fish, how big was the difference? Carefully she tore off a bite, chewed and swallowed and was surprised that neither mind nor stomach rebelled.   
Alex watched her, attentive, satisfied and she would have loved to know what he was thinking.

When she had taken the third bite, his ears twitched and she paused. Tense, he straightened up, his ears twitched again and she wondered what he might be hearing that her own ears didn't perceive.   
But then she heard it, a soft whimpering, almost a squeal, and _'Pup!'_ went through her mind, alarmed.   
Alex looked at her, seemed to scrutinize her and weigh whether or not to take her with him, and then flinched as the faint, pitiful whimper repeated.   
Julie, on the other hand, flinched as he made a sharp loud bark. Suddenly he was ready to fight and after a commanding nod in her direction he made a leap and disappeared into the bushes.


	21. Brothers

Julie had trouble following Alex and quickly lost completely sight of him. She tried to use the sharp senses of the wolf, but was utterly overwhelmed with the result. Her ears were suddenly filled with noises which seemed to come from everywhere at once, and also her nose was perceiving things which she absolutely could not match. She felt the light wind in her fur and the rough sand under her paws, she still tasted the hare meat. Overwhelmed, she began to sway and whimper softly, making a startled jump as it rustled right next to her.   
But it was only Alex. She was almost expecting a rebuke, but he just nudged her gently with his muzzle and then slowed his pace so she could keep up with him.

The soft whimpering led them to a clearing close to the edge of the forest and while Julie was still considering the gray-brown bundle of fur much too big for a pup, Alex made a strange sound, shooting across the clearing like a flash and shifting faster than Julie could grasp it.

"Victor!" He reached for the wolf, patted it down. "Victor, what are you doing here? Why did you come here? What about the pack?"   
Slowly, Julie approached them. Victor was Alex's older half-brother, but what was the Alpha doing here?   
"Victor..." Alex's voice was soft but firm, and Victor whimpered again. At a respectful distance, Julie sat down in the grass and tilted her head, Victor turned to her and made a quiet, somewhat questioning sound.   
"This is Julie, she belongs with me," Alex explained, smoothing the ruffled and dirty fur on Victor's head. He made an even worse run-down impression than Alex did back then; despite the fur, you could see how thin he was and blood was sticking to places that suggested it was not from prey.   
"Come here...," Alex then said softly, waving Julie closer. Though she was no threat as Omega to an Alpha, she moved slowly and deliberately, sat down next to Alex and had her head scratched.   
Victor was still restless and probably injured since he strangely stretched his neck in her direction and sniffed at Alex's hand which he had previously used to pet Julie. Now she could also smell Victor: he stank. Sure, he had his very own scent, but it wasn't just covered by dirt and blood, by the very special scents of emotions, but underlaid with something rancid. Victor was about to lose control.

"Victor, can you shift?"   
The answer was a howl and Alex sighed. The nomad wolf was probably too exhausted and when Julie saw and smelled Alex's concern, she almost expected him to ask her to run home and get help. However, she knew this was a stupid idea because even if she found her way home alone - Emmett was in no condition to help and Barry was not there. He certainly wouldn't leave her alone with Victor either.   
She looked at him expectantly and he sighed again, reluctantly this time.   
"Don't be scared, Victor, okay? You don't need to be afraid of me." He stood up and took a step back while Julie swallowed hard. Consciously calling out the fighting form seemed to take effort, the shift took a surprisingly long time, and Victor made tortured sounds, so that Julie - herself both fascinated and disgusted - averted her gaze and put a paw on the wolf's paw. He calmed down a little, but still pressed himself flat on the ground.   
Julie looked back at Alex, whose massive figure shook. He rumbled grumpy and moved his claw-like fingers; his wolf face was unreadable, but Julie was sure that he was disgusted with himself and what he had done yesterday in that shape.

"I'll take you home," Alex said scratchy and bent down to Victor. He howled, but Alex lifted him up as if he were just a stuffed animal. "Home," Alex repeated. "To my pack."   
Victor whimpered miserably and Alex rubbed his snout against his head.   
"My pack," he repeated emphatically, then nodded to Julie. She nodded back and he started to move, setting a fast pace but allowing her to keep up with him.

~

The house was lit up and Alex howled intensely as they approached across the garden. He could see a startled Marge at the kitchen patio door and when he reached the door to his bedroom, Emmett opened it. His tired posture immediately changed to tension.   
"What happened? Who is that?"   
"Victor," Alex rumbled as he crossed the threshold. His fear that Victor had lost consciousness was confirmed as he gently laid his brother down on his bed.   
Emmett made a surprised sound. "How can I help?" he wanted to know.   
Alex took on human form and frowned. "What did you do to me that night?"   
Emmett's mouth formed an _oh_. "Lillian!" Immediately he turned away and hurried out; he still moved a little awkwardly and limped a bit and Alex felt the guilt gnawing at him. "And some food," Emmett then added and Alex nodded, even though his beta couldn't see it.   
And then Julie made a low sound. She looked at him expectantly; beneath the controlled surface, she was restless. She too wanted to help, he knew that.   
"No," he said hard, although the tone of his voice hurt himself. "You are being punished."   
She lowered her head and nodded.   
"I'm going to force him into human form," he then said, hoping, that if Victor was already too far from his human side, he wouldn't cause any harm. "Keep him warm and quiet."   
She nodded again and gently he put one hand on Victor's head and the other on his chest.

Luring the man inside him out was much easier than forcing Julie to shift, but the sight was a far greater shock. Victor was almost all skin and bone, he was covered with all sorts of wounds an Alpha should normally heal in two minutes or less, and his dark hair and beard were incredibly long and tangled.   
Had Alex himself looked like this a few months ago? He was almost afraid to hurt Victor with a simple touch, but he brushed across his dirty forehead and tears welled up in his eyes.

~

"Come here." Alex's voice was a harsh whisper as he waved Julie over.   
She stretched and then jumped off the bed; Victor moaned faintly.   
Alex wrung a smile from himself and told Emmett in a curt gesture to stay down. After Lillian had been there, the three of them had snuggled up around Victor and given him enough security that his unconsciousness had passed into a calm and deep sleep. But now Alex allowed her to be human again and she was surprised how easy this second shift was.   
But she had hardly noticed when he pulled her to him, into a firm embrace she returned. There was a lot of naked skin on naked skin, but Alex cried into her hair and she could understand him. Victor didn't look well, even Lillian had expressed her doubts, and on top of that, no one knew where Barry was, who might have been able to give some good advice or at least a word of comfort.

"Alex," she said gently, "Alex, you must be strong for him. He needs you."   
"I know." Alex sniffed and let her go. "But Victor always protected me when I was little."   
"But now little brother has grown up..." Tenderly she wiped a tear from his cheek and he nodded bravely. Still he hesitated before he walked towards the bed. Julie, on the other hand, felt as naked as she was extremely uncomfortable and slipped over to her own room to put on some clothes.

When she came back, Victor was just about to wake up. Emmett and Alex helped him to sit up leaning against pillows.   
"Victor...?"   
Victor opened his mouth, croaked, coughed, and then: "Alex..."   
Alex took his hand. "What happened? Why did you leave the pack?"   
Victor's mouth moved like a fish on dry land, no sound came out, and Julie exchanged a quick glance with Emmett, who looked worried and held Victor's other hand. "Father... Alpha... has killed..."

Victor couldn't form sentences and even with Alex's questions, the stammering didn't make much sense to Julie. But whatever Rick had done- except killing Alphas- it had scared Victor, so he ran away. She almost thought she overheard that Alex was supposed to come back, but that was absurd and the more the strange conversation lasted, the more uncomfortable she felt, especially since Alex's way of speaking was becoming more and more choppy as well.   
"Safe," Alex said harshly just as Julie wrapped her arms around herself, "with me."   
"Safe," Victor echoed and snuggled up to his brother. The contrast between the mighty Royal and the emaciated werewolf could not have been greater. "Alpha. Kill," muttered Victor and Alex rumbled.   
"Father-Alpha. Your blood."   
Victor's trembling hand came to rest on Alex's chest. "My blood. My Alpha."   
The sight of it broke Julie's heart and when they both started to cry, tears rolled down her cheeks too. She pressed a hand to her mouth so as not to sob, and was relieved when Emmett slipped out of bed where he had been sitting silently by Victor's side the whole time, putting an arm around her shoulders.   
Alex cradled his older brother in his arms and Julie wrinkled her nose involuntarily when she noticed the rancid smell.   
Emmett next to her tensed up, but the gray-brown Victor-wolf was as non-dangerous as a stuffed animal. Perhaps the last bit to make him break was missing, but still Julie was sure that this had been Victor's last shift.


	22. A Gap to Fill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> :(

Alex stepped out into the hallway, trembling all over his body. He had the urgent need to run through the woods as a wolf until he couldn't go any further. Or until he found Rick and could make him pay for the way he had treated Victor. His own son and successor. He hadn't understood everything that Victor had wanted to tell him, but for his condition his brother had expressed himself surprisingly well. Human language had never been his strength.   
_Lies._   
The word echoed in Alex's ears, scratching uncomfortably in his head, worse than the shorts he had put on out of decency. With a growl, he slammed his fist against the wall and heard Julie's startled gasp. She held a tray in her hand on which were several large bowls of water, soup, and chopped meat. When Victor awoke, he would be hungry, and if he didn't eat, Lillian would have to come by to give him... In his agitation, Alex didn't remember the unknown word she had used. He nodded at Julie and she scurried past him into the room.

"What exactly did he say?" Emmett wanted to know calmly and returned Alex's gaze with a serenity completely incomprehensible to Alex, but which after a moment began to rub off.   
"Rick killed several alphas to add their packs to the _Rustling Leaves_. More likely families rather than packs. He killed the two Alpha-pups." Alex clenched his hands to fists again, almost tasted the bitterness of his words, and Emmett grimaced a little.   
"But why?" Julie asked quietly and Alex turned to her. Concern was written all over her pale face, and he was touched by it; but there was a faint question whether it was because she was an absolute Omega or because of Victor's blood relationship with Alex. He shrugged.   
"Rick was talking to somebody, some humans, I think. I'm not sure, but I almost believe that Rick wasn't chasing me, but wanted to get me back, although that's kind of absurd. Victor seemed to be afraid of being killed as well - then the pack would have had no Alpha besides Rick."   
"You mean Rick wanted to arouse your pity so you would return to your defenseless family?" Emmett asked skeptically.   
"It's possible." Alex shrugged again. The conversation with Victor had brought up more questions than answers.  
Hesitantly, Julie moved closer to Alex and he pulled her towards him, she returned the hug as if seeking protection.   
"I feel so sorry for him," she whispered against his chest. "With you, we could be sure that you would recover, but he..."   
Alex stroked her back reassuringly, although there was also an oppressive feeling in his chest that Victor had pushed himself too far beyond his limits. Emmett chewed on his lower lip and wrung a wry smile from himself when he noticed Alex's gaze.   
"What are you thinking about?" Alex wanted to know.   
"Oh, I was just wondering if maybe your blood..." he paused and frowned, "might help him," he finished slowly, then sucked the air deep into his nose. "Do you smell that?"   
Alex and Julie sniffed, but Victor's rancid smell was still stuck in Alex's nose. But Julie tensed up, and like Emmett, she suddenly seemed to be... ready to _fight_. Confused, Alex looked at them.   
"Barry," Emmett said seriously, and the next moment, Alex ran through the house behind them.

Alex only realized it when Julie and Emmett knelt down in front of Barry's bed and pressed their foreheads to the edge of the mattress.   
Barry lay on the bed, perfectly dressed, hands folded on his chest. Next to him was Lester, also in a fine suit and also with folded hands. As Alex hesitantly approached, he noticed the hint of a smile on Barry's lips. He should have smelled the death like Emmett, but his nose was mute, and because _understanding_ and _believing_ were not the same thing, he carefully touched Barry's hand. The skin was cold enough to dispel any doubt.   
Bartholomeus Brick was dead.

Although he had known Barry for only a few months, he suddenly felt empty. Left alone. Barry had been more than just a mentor - had it really only been yesterday that he had thought of Barry as a father?   
He looked at the man, the werewolf, the Royal and Mayor, who had lived for more than four hundred long years, and awe, coupled with the knowledge of the burden now resting on his own shoulders, brought him to his knees.   
He sobbed quietly, and as if Julie and Emmett were just waiting for it, both began to cry loudly. He pulled them to him, one on the left, one on the right, kissed first Emmett, then Julie on the crown of their heads, and then called out his fighting form. Before they could retreat, he held them a little tighter and then sang the mourning song of the wolves.

~

Sitting on the bed, Julie watched Alex and Emmett get dressed. Victor dozed, his head in her lap, and she scratched him behind his ears. Alex was so pale that he looked sick, and Emmett's hands shook as he tied Alex's tie. She herself felt strangely lost. Barry was the Landlord, the Master, the Royal, and still a kind of grandfather, even though he looked much younger than her foster father Damian. Barry had truly been a leader, both lighthouse and helmsman, and she knew- they all knew- that Alex was not prepared for his role after only a few months. He would be able to lead the pack of several hundred werewolves without any problems, he had been born for that, but a human city?   
She looked at Emmett, who gave her a thin smile, and returned it with difficulty. The poor Beta would have a lot of work to do.

Alex gritted his teeth audibly. "Victor, let Julie wash you," he said so abruptly that they all flinched.   
Victor raised his head and gave a muffled _'woof'_.   
"How long will it take?" he then asked Emmett. He had to clear his throat distinctly before he could get a word out.   
"Not long. All you have to do is officially inform the city council and... sign and release the written press communiqué." Emmett swallowed. "I know Barry prepared these a while ago."   
Alex nodded.   
Julie gently pushed Victor's head aside and stood up. "Should I tell the others?"   
Alex nodded again. "Yes. And... see if you can find out where Tiffany disappeared to."   
"Okay..." She nodded and snuggled into Alex' hand as he touched her on the cheek and kissed her briefly.

She followed Alex and Emmett, who in their jet-black suits looked as if they had come out of the Man-in-Black movies, to the front door, Victor trotted after them like a faithful dog, although he should have stayed in bed. Before Emmett could put his hand on the door handle, Marge and Damian stepped into the entrance area.   
"Mr. Berry...," Damian said extremely formally, and they both bowed awkwardly. "Please, do we have permission to remain in the service of this house?"   
Julie was a little perplexed because such submissive behavior toward a Royal was neither required nor expected of humans.   
"Of course." Alex said no less perplexed. "In fact, I ask for it."   
Both seemed relieved and bowed again. No one spoke of condolences or sympathy, for they all felt the same, and after a moment of discomfort, the two withdrew.

"We'll be back soon," Emmett said earnestly and opened the door at last.   
Julie simply nodded and patted Victor on the head as he rubbed his muzzle against her hand.   
Alex kissed her on the forehead and halfway through the door gave Victor a stern look. "You live in a house now. So stick to the rules."   
Julie raised an eyebrow. "Did you even explain the rules to him?"   
"Actually, the first rule is _no fur_ ," Emmett added, seeming minimally amused.   
Victor whimpered questioningly and Alex made a face.   
"New landlord, new rules," he growled and left the house with long strides.   
Julie sighed and Emmett also grimaced.   
"And don't you dare treat him like a dog!" Alex shouted grumpy over his shoulder.   
"You want to bet he'll be the first to do just that," muttered Emmett and Julie looked at him sternly.   
"Take care of Lightfall's Royal."   
With bitterness in his eyes, Emmett nodded and straightened his jacket.   
Julie looked after him, still scratching Victor's ears.

~

_No dog, huh?_ With a loving yet sad smile, Julie looked at Alex, who was sitting on a cushion on his terrace, his head leaning against the wall and Victor curled up in his lap. Grief and death hung in the air, underlined by despair. And this very desperation weighed more heavily in her than the urge to stand by her Royal; it was Emmett's desperation that literally burned in her nose.   
And for this very reason she turned away and went to look for her foster brother.

She found Emmett sitting in Barry's study and in his reading chair, knees pressed against his chest. On the small table next to the armchair was a small stack of books.   
"Hey," she said softly, and Emmett raised his head. He had very obviously been crying, but his tears had already dried.   
"Hey..," he murmured soundlessly, then dissolved his posture to wave her in an inviting way- she was only too happy to comply. She sat down half beside him, half on his lap, and they wrapped their arms around each other. It was kind of strange: for many years, Julie had thought her Royal would give her a completely different sense of security and trust than Emmett, but actually it was exactly the same. Alex might have been stronger, his security underscored by something sexual, but with Emmett she could be sure that she would not suddenly have to step into the second row next to a mate. And that was already strangely comforting now that it was only Victor who got Alex's attention.

"How are you?" Emmett asked quietly, and she frowned.   
"I don't know," she said honestly after a moment; Emmett began drawing patterns on her back. "We knew it would happen soon." She felt Emmett nod. Now that the initial shock had passed, there was a strange cold emptiness inside her that wasn't as terrible as she had imagined. She was a little scared that she didn't feel enough pain, that her grief wasn't great enough, but she had never lost anyone, except for the absolute Omega who had served before Tiffany, but this woman had worshipped Barry to such an extent that no feelings were left for anyone else. Knowing that Emmett had spent a great deal of time with Barry since Alex's appearance and had sought his advice frequently, she quietly asked:   
"What about you?"   
The sound he made should have been both a laugh and a sob. "I don't know. I don't know where to begin. I... we both know that Alex is not up to this, that I am the one who will be running the government for the next years or maybe even decades. I..." he took a deep breath, "I'm not prepared for this either."   
Surprised by this so honest helplessness, Julie raised her head. "But you have been preparing for this since you could read and write." New tears rolled down Emmett's cheeks and she gently wiped them away. "And Lester was just saying the other day how proud he was of you."   
"I've always admired Lester for what he does, how much he does 24/7 to help Barry, but...", he sniffed, "Barry has done so much by himself, without Lester." He took her hand from his cheek and snuggled up against her, laying his head heavily on her shoulder as he had not done in a long time. That Emmett needed comfort was a rare occurrence. "If it were only Lester's burden, I wouldn't complain. Even if I... I mean, really, I don't know where to begin."   
"You're not alone, Emmett. And don't tell yourself you have to take it all off Alex, he has to be able to do it alone. In theory, at least." She stroked Emmett's hair, leaned her cheek against his head, and breathed deeply his faint scent, which almost disappeared under all his strong feelings. "When you die one day, Alex will get a new beta, which is prepared for his new tasks on the most superficial level. But for here and now, there are still the city councils and me. You're _not_ alone, Emmett, you hear me?"

~

Alex touched Julie at the corner of her mouth and her disgruntled, bitter expression turned into an expressionless mask. He thought she looked silly in her little hat with a strange net hanging from it, covering half her face, but he had no idea about human grief.   
Victor snooped around curiously, but Alex couldn't help but look critically concerned at him. Emmett had been right and Alex's Royal blood had given Victor a powerful healing push, but he still looked sick - of course, he had only arrived the day before yesterday. And much to Alex's annoyance, he seemed to feel very comfortable as a house wolf; he reacted immediately when Emmett whistled for him.   
"All that's missing is that you put a collar on him," Alex growled and looked at his watch so as not to give Emmett a sinister stare. The watch was big and chunky and heavy and had buttons on the side-for whatever- but it had been a gift from his city council and he felt obligated to wear it at least on official occasions. Two more minutes.   
"I bet he'd be happy with a nice collar and a flashing name tag," Emmett returned, and Victor barked in agreement.   
Alex frowned. "Was Barry's authority also thus undermined?"   
"It's hard to undermine someone's authority when they used to change your diaper," Julie remarked quietly but affectionately, and Alex sighed. But Julie grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "Be glad that we don't kowtow to you like everyone else does. We belong to you, no ifs and buts, and we are the ones who see your vulnerable side. For all others, you must be strong."   
"I know," he growled. "Nevertheless. Victor is not a damn dog."   
"If he shared your opinion, he would stand beside us now as a human being." There was a flash in Julie's eyes and Alex pressed his lips together. There it was again, this strange tension between them that only made his bad mood worse, but when one of the assistants nodded at him and tapped on the watch, Alex pushed the thought aside. He had other worries for the moment.

Together with Emmett, Julie and Victor, Alex stepped through the curtain onto the small stage of the press room. Immediately the cameras started flashing and Alex blinked. He straightened his shoulders and stopped in the middle of the stage while Emmett stepped up to the lectern.   
"I greet Lightfall with all its inhabitants - humans and werewolves. I greet all who look at us," he said a little stiffly.   
Alex could smell his excitement, his sadness, and also despair, which almost hurt physically.   
"It is my sad duty to tell you of the death of Bartholomeus Brick, our Royal and Mayor."   
Although the news was already known to everyone, a collective sigh went through the room, which was quite impressive.   
"His heir is chosen and recognized. His heir is ready."   
_No, not really,_ Alex thought, but his opinion didn't count here. Next to him, Julie lowered her head, a visible shiver went through her and he had to pull himself together not to reach out his hand for her.   
"Lightfall- humans and werewolves- welcome our new Lord."   
From the left came the three human town councilors, each holding a large symbolic key. From the right came the three strongest werewolves of the pack. Alex stepped forward and bowed to the audience before turning to the humans and bowing to them as well.   
"Alexander Berry, we open the city to you. Enter and be our lord and protector." Formal words that had last been spoken here more than 350 years ago.   
Alex received the keys and hung them on their long ribbons around his neck; they were the symbolic keys to the city gates, the city hall and the treasury. Then he turned to the werewolves and bowed to them, while the three men each sank to one knee.   
"Alexander Berry, the pack lies at your feet. Drink our blood and be our lord and protector."   
Alex complied with the request and drank a tiny sip from each of the three presented wrists. He then stepped forward, patted Emmett, who had turned halfway around to watch, briefly on the shoulder, and then took his place at the lectern.

The speech he was about to give had already been roughly prepared by Barry and was marked with a note saying that he had said _'something like that'_ in his day. And indeed, Alex felt a little bit as if Barry was standing behind him and nodding to his words.

"...the life of a Royal is long enough to mean an entire era for everyone else. But every era, be it dark or golden, comes to an end and a new one begins."

Was it really only six weeks since he had stood here, trembling and intimidated? It felt as if it was more like six years. Compared to the self of 'then', Alex felt bigger and stronger, harder and strangely grounded. When did that happen? What had triggered it? He didn't know and maybe it didn't matter, because he _had_ changed and that was good.

"...I am Alexander Berry, Mayor of Lightfall and Royal of the Lightfall pack. All my life is yours."


End file.
